Sword Pointed at the Enemy
Sheev Palpatine's resolve likewise went against every assessment of the Galactic Republic Supreme Strategic Command.
In the eyes of the Supreme Strategic Command, the Duchy of Dawn had no capacity for strategic offensives. Relying on that barren backwater of the Southwest Territory, it was simply impossible for them to build an industrial empire capable of rivaling the Republic Core Worlds and the Inner Rim.
Therefore, all they needed to do regarding the Duchy of Dawn was blockade the Rendili system and prevent them from turning Rendili StarDrive's industrial capacity into their own. In fact, the Galactic Republic had indeed blockaded the Rendili Trade Route. With that route sealed off, Rendili Planet found it difficult to move large fleets through.
As a result, Rendili Planet's efforts to relocate some of its orbital shipyards had progressed very slowly. At present, they were mainly importing large quantities of food, medicine, and supplies to sustain the planet's enormous population, while actively mining minerals in nearby uninhabited systems and shipping them back to build warships.
Just as Adele Ulan had said earlier, Rendili Planet had added 150 Victory-class Star Destroyers in less than two months. That was precisely why, even with Rendili Planet right under their noses, the Galactic Republic did not dare move against it for the time being. After all, Master Yoda had suffered grievous injuries and returned in defeat on that planet, while Master Ploo Koon had died heroically. It would have been a lie to say the Republic military had no misgivings about it.
But Rendili's fleet could currently only remain at Rendili Planet. It could not get out.
Several small or seasonal hyperspace routes around Rendili Planet were being used to relocate the population.
Under such circumstances, taking the initiative to attack the Duchy of