"It's the Geth!! They're here!!" the radar operator shouted.
"Impossible! Why are they so close?!" First Officer Sandars cried out.
No wonder he was shocked. The Geth had appeared far too close this time! Where was their fleet positioned? In synchronous orbit around the planet! In other words, they were currently within the Planetary Gravity Well!
And what was the common understanding now?
Hyperspace jumps absolutely had to avoid gravity—whether escaping a gravity well during activation, avoiding mass shadows during transit, or ensuring they were no longer within a gravity well upon exit. Otherwise, gravity would disrupt hyperspace, causing warships to be damaged at best and torn apart at worst.
But this time, the Geth fleet had practically jumped right into their faces! They had appeared within the gravity well, less than a thousand kilometers from the Imperial fleet!
In space combat, a thousand kilometers was practically point-blank range!
The Geth warships no longer had to worry about the limited range of their plasma cannons. The instant they appeared, they unleashed their full firepower, and countless plasma bolts came screaming in!
"Quick! Adjust shield output! Face forward!!" Parker, captain of the nearby Imperial-class Star Destroyer Chimeara, was already issuing tactical orders.
Then the radar operator called out again. "Enemy ships confirmed! One Geth cruiser! Four Geth destroyers! Twelve Geth frigates!"
"Sir!" Sandars looked at Thrawn expectantly.
The strength of this Geth battlegroup was already terrifying compared to their patrol fleet! A 600-meter Geth cruiser could directly contend with kilometer-class capital ships! The 300-meter Geth destroyers and 100-meter Geth frigates were also far more formidable than Imperial warships of comparable size!
Sandars looked over, only to meet Thrawn's expression, which remained utterly calm. Even with the enemy jumping directly in front of them with superior forces, Thrawn remained composed!
That was