Vanguard
Chapter 29
"The downfall"
[UNSC Vanguard, Two weeks later]
Along the starboard hull of the UNSC destroyer, SPARTAN Jorge and James were out in hard vacuum tending to the repairs caused by the pair of proton torpedoes launched during the attack two weeks prior. Meanwhile Ahsoka was spending her time between tending to the Holonet with Percival and getting her rest from the seemingly unending series of battles she had fought alongside her new allies.
Outside the ship's hull, James finishes wielding another small plate of titanium with his arc-wielder when he looks over to Jorge, on the far side of the ever shrinking breach, and asks through the helmet's comms system "How's your side looking Jorge?"
He heard his friend's voice crackle through the radio "Just rewired the lighting system for the deck. All we need to do is close up the hole and reset the air filtration system."
Longarm nods to that and resumes repairs, the two were fortunate enough that the damage would have not been more severe thanks to the destroyer's heavy thick armor but it did give them a decent idea of the raw power starship weaponry carried in this galaxy. He holsters his wielder, activating his suit's onboard EVA thrusters, and floats into the destroyer via the breach finding spare parts and tools; they had brought from one of the Vanguard's storage bays, floating in zero-g. He quickly finds two more plates of alloy armor and grabs them before heading back out to the outer hull.
He gets back into position and begins to carefully wield the next piece together, after a silent moment in space he turns to Jorge, who was looking back at him for the brief moment, and flicks his finger signaling the SPARTAN to go onto a private channel.
They both switched off from the broadband UNSC frequency to their local secure private channel, Jorge asks "Got something on your mind?"
Longarm resumes wielding "It's Ahsoka . . . can't believe I'm saying this but I think I'm worried."
"About?"
"Us."
Jorge took a moment to think "You mean us SPARTANs?"
"More specifically us second generation SPARTANs . . ."
"I guess I'm not following . . ."
James gives a sigh and thought for a moment before he asks "What would happen if she figured out about our past? What Halsey did to us."
"What does she know?"
"She thinks we were already enlisted personnel that signed up to become SPARTANs, but I don't think that story will last forever."
"You're afraid of what she might say if she found out we're keeping a secret from her."
"Right . . ."
Jorge watched as Longarm simply stopped wielding, as if he became lost in his thoughts, and states "This has to be really important to you if you're getting distracted."
James glanced at his friend before resuming repairs "I just don't know what to do when she finds out."
"Well that depends, what do you want to do now? Tell her the truth or keep dwelling on it?"
The SPARTAN wields another plate part way before pausing for a moment and asks "I don't know what to do, I guess that's why I'm asking you . . ."
"James we're brothers, I trust you enough to follow you no matter what happens. You always find a way through difficult situations."
"Thanks brother . . . I just need a little more time to figure things out."
"I'll be ready when you are."
The two resumed their work, slowly piecing the hull back together plate by plate, wire by wire, their two weeks of hard labor was nearly complete and they only needed a little longer. Jorge soon runs out of parts and heads on inside where he grabs what he needed, however before he headed out he stops himself and looks at the wall to his left, featuring a plaque with the UNSC emblem situated behind it and the saying that wrote:
[UNSC DDH-151 Vanguard]
[Commissioned in 2509 in the defense of Earth and all her colonies]
Beneath the writing was an image of Earth with another saying:
[For her]
He was surprised that the plaque had survived the damage caused by the torpedoes but he gives a sigh in helplessness before he ventures back out through the breach, he assumes his position and got back to wielding.
Though it wasn't long before he asks "You think we'll ever get back home?"
James looks over to him asking "Now you have troubling thoughts?"
"Permission to express myself?"
"Jorge you said we're brothers, no need for permission."
The big man paused before he says what's on his mind "I just saw the plaque inside, with Earth, and I wonder if we should be back home where the fight is. I mean do we really belong here?"
"Well there are a lot of people out in this galaxy that would say no. Cain Komari being one of them. But whether it was fate, destiny, or a freak accident, we're here now and we should do what we can."
"Like what? What can we do other than fly around and fight battles for a cause we know nothing of?"
James had to think but he came up with no answers "I don't know Jorge . . . the Covenant is still out there but once they're gone . . . I don't know."
"So we take out the Covenant then what? Go on retirement?"
"Maybe. It sounds nice doesn't it?" Longarm asks with a grin.
Jorge couldn't help but chuckle "Hehe yeah . . . maybe Ahsoka would know a place where they have nice beaches, good drinks, and a nice little home we can retire in."
"Sounds like a good plan to me."
[Ahsoka's private quarters]
Young Tano was lying down on her naval cot, which was surprisingly more comfortable than the standard-issued kind she found on Republic vessels, seemingly lost in her mind. For the past two weeks she was utterly bored, having not to being used to the silence after years in the Clone Wars and the near last two months with the SPARTANs. The good side was that she was now more able to learn about her friends' galaxy and the rich history behind it, even before the war with the Covenant, she was particularly interested in the unique individuals that had made grand accomplishments in order to propel humanity to a greater power. A good example she had learned were the two inventors Tobias Fleming Shaw and Wallace Fujikawa who were the first humans to discover slipstream space and create the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine to propel humanity into the stars.
She couldn't keep her eyes closed, even when she tried to fall asleep, and eventually sat up to see the UNSC terminal she was occasionally using more recently. She soon got out of bed and took the seat at the terminal before she began pressing keys, bringing the terminal online and accessing the UNSC database.
Percival was immediately alerted and his avatar appeared on the far right side of the screen "Miss Tano, I see that you're having difficulties resting, how may I be of service today?"
"Hey Percy" she replied tiredly "I just want to look at something for a bit."
"What would you like to know? I'll be glad to bring it on-screen."
She grinned, admiring the AI's sense of kindness and hospitality, "I like to know more about the SPARTANs, more specifically how they came to be."
"Well unfortunately some of the files regarding to that subject have been corrupted after the incident that sent us here. However I'll be more than happy to tell you about the SPARTANs' upbringing."
The UNSC emblem on the screen soon faded away and a photo of a fireteam of figures wearing MJOLNIR Mk. lV armor marching off to a distant battle with weapons in hands, Percival began "In 2511, UNSC HIGHCOM initiated the second generation of the ORION Project, later renamed SPARTAN-ll, in an attempt to end widespread insurgency that had plagued human space in the years prior. The UNSC needed a breed of soldiers that were capable of subduing insurgencies in their infancy, being able to minimize civilian casualties to avert an interplanetary civil war, and be cost efficient in commissioning and deployment. Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey proposed the plan to further train and augment enlisted personnel in preparation for combat utilizing her idea of powered exoskeletons, the same kind you see SPARTAN James currently using. It was decided among HIGHCOM and ONI, the Office of Naval Intelligence, that the pool of candidates will be taken from one of humanity's most efficient combat forces, the ODSTs."
"ODST?" Ahsoka asks intrigued so far.
The screen slowly turned from the towering super soldiers to men donning full black body armor wielding suppressed weapons "The acronym for Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, special UNSC forces trained for high orbital insertions behind enemy lines. Halsey and a few select ONI agents personally selected seventy five candidates to attend the program. James and Jorge being among those men and women."
"Seventy five? Why so few?"
"The cost to develop the MJOLNIR armor and perform augmentation procedures was fairly high, had they taken more candidates it would've gone over their budget. The candidates were subject to harmful physical training regimens and rigorous psychological exercises to further improve their already impressive attributes."
"I guess that's why James rarely misses with a rifle then" she remarked.
"Precisely. After years of training, the candidates were finally ready to complete the most difficult challenge presented to them yet, augmentation. Unfortunately due to the limited ability and technology the UNSC possessed at the time, only thirty three of the original seventy five survived the procedure with no physical and psychological abnormalities."
"Thirty three? But James said thirty five made it off the tables?"
"Oh . . ." the AI responded surprised "I suppose he told you that didn't he? He was referring to himself and another SPARTAN, Sierra-077, Rose. The reason behind this is because he and Rose were taken off the official roster to act as covert ops under the most secrecy, often only answering to the director of ONI or in more sentimental cases, Doctor Halsey."
"So James and Rose were pretty special then."
"Correct."
"So I take it the program was a success then? Did they quell the insurgency?"
"The SPARTANs definitely made an impact against the insurgents, reducing their numbers to a dwindling regiment of soldiers, until they were called upon in 2525 to combat a far greater enemy encountered by humanity, the Covenant. Eventually they proven to be our greatest line of defense against the aliens, members of the Covenant even began to call the SPARTANs 'demons' out of fear and respect."
Ahsoka was inspired by the program, knowing men and women of the UNSC were willing to do what it took to protect what they valued, even if it costed their own lives. Though she couldn't help but feel sorry for those that didn't survive the augmentations, their lives wasted away in the most agonizing way, she almost shuddered by the thought of the pain.
But something new came to her mind "What were the SPARTANs like in civilian life, surely they were allowed leave after so long right?"
The AI nodded "Of course but those times were rare and short due to the Covenant's advances through human space."
Ahsoka then asked apparently heavily interested "So what else can you tell me about the SPARTANs?"
Percival took a moment to skim through the databases "Well you know plenty of the SPARTANs you've seen, why not go back to the origins of the original Spartans, essentially the ancestors and distant precursor to what you see today."
The screen changed from the ODSTs to men donning gold plated armor, red capes, armed with primitive rounded shields and spears fighting other soldiers wielding swords in head on combat, Percival continued "Dating far back to ancient times during the Second Persian War in 480 BC, being little over three thousand years ago, all of ancient Greece was under threat of being conquered by the neighboring Persian Empire led by their king, Xerxes l, who sought to control all of Greece. Many saw the Persians as undisputed and submitted to Xerxes's rule however many resisted his control, the two most prominent ones being the Athenians and the Spartans."
Ahsoka was already deeply interested in the subject "The Spartans at the time were a strong and courageous people, they valued the code of the warrior and their soldiers were trained from when they were young."
"Wait they trained children to become soldiers? Why would they do that?"
"Is it any different from becoming a Jedi at a very young age?"
Tano was about to raise an argument but she saw the point he was getting at, even though the Jedi and Spartans had very different beliefs, both realized that in order to become a strong individual they had to start from a young age.
She lets him continue "When the Persians began their advance through Greece, King Leonidas l of the Spartans sought to hold them at the shoreline pass of Thermopylae with three hundred Spartans at his command along with reinforcements from other city-states. When Xerxes and his force of roughly eight hundred thousand men arrived at the past, they were met by the three hundred Spartan warriors that stood shoulder to shoulder with shields raised and spears sharpened ready to fight and die if necessary. The first day of the battle began when the Persian king launched the first wave of foot soldiers, numbering in the thousands, against the Greeks who aligned themselves in a defensive phalanx formation creating a wall of bronze shields with their spears protruding through the small openings. It had been said that the Persian army suffered heavy losses while the Spartans only lost three of their own."
"How did the battle end?"
"The battle lasted three days, but unfortunately the Greeks were betrayed by one of their own who gave word to Xerxes about a mountain pass that led around Leonidas's position. Soon Persian troops marched through the pass, killing off the small contingent of defenders there, and surrounded the remaining forces that stood on the path. Leonidas and those under his command, including many of his allies that chose to stay and fight, died when their ranks were overwhelmed and cut down."
Ahsoka took the moment to take it all in, humanity's existence had been riddled with numerous wars and fighting, she had to ask "Why does humanity keep fighting itself? What's the point if it keeps tearing them apart?"
The AI sighed "That is something I've been wondering myself for some time ma'am . . . I suppose it is in their nature to fight and die. Whether it is religious beliefs or responses to acts of violence, war is what makes them what they are, human."
She took another moment to contemplate on what he had said, as much as she didn't like it, it made since after all. She going to ask yet another question but her stomach growled, beckoning her to find something to eat, she didn't say a word when Percival caught on and shut down the terminal.
"I suppose school is done for today" Percival remarks jokingly.
The togruta gave a warm sincere grin and nodded before she stood up and headed out her quarters on her way to the cafeteria.
On her way through the corridors she asks "What are the boys up to right now?"
Percival responded through the intercoms "They're making the last bits of repairs to the hull, at this rate I believe we'll be ready for launch within the hour."
"Great, I was getting tired of staying out in open space."
"So I've noticed."
Ahsoka walked further down the corridor until taking a turn where the ship's central lift was located, she steps on and presses the icon for deck fifteen, after that the lift began to ascend towards its designated level. Once the lift came to a steady stop she steps off and continues making her way to the cafeteria, she was debating on what to eat when she arrived, but due to the variety of food she liked on board it was proving to be difficult to choose.
Eventually she was nearing the cafeteria when she finally decided and asks "Hey Percy, would you please make me a tray of moa steak with wheat rice?"
The AI answered politely "Gladly. One moa steak, well done, with a side of wheat rice coming up."
"Thanks Percy."
She steps through the bulkhead hatch into the cafeteria, seeing the grills come online and pots being filled with water, and ventures into the back where the cryogenic freezer was stored grabbing herself an apple and pear. She heads over to the drinks dispenser and got a cup of ice water before heading out to the tables, setting the fruits and water down, and come back to the kitchen just as the single cut of moa and a small bowl of steamed rice were ready. She grabs a metal tray from the serving counter and a fork before going in to pick up her meal, first setting the cooked steak in the central portion of the tray before picking up the bowl and placing it on the side. Soon she returned to her spot at the tables and began to eat, enjoying the freshly made meal.
As moments of silence passed by, Ahsoka began to ponder about the Spartans, both from ancient Greece and the modern day SPARTANs, what worried her the most was the fact that the ancient Spartans practically conscripted young children into military service, training them to become lethal killers. She takes a spoonful of rice and began to wonder if this 'Halsey' took a little too much inspiration from the Greeks and pulled off the same tactic, it would explain how James and Jorge became extremely efficient soldiers regardless of what enemy they fought, droids, Covenant, even proving to hold their own against force sensitives was impressive enough. The more she thought on the matter, the more things began to make sense, the scars all over James's back looked like they've been done ages ago and yet he two months ago he claimed he was twenty two despite stating he spent half of his life in cryogenic stasis.
'Why would they lie to me?' she thought.
Suddenly her train of thought was lost when Percival chimed in stating "Miss Tano, I believe I have some news for you regarding the war.
She decided to dwell on her thoughts later and ask "What is it Percival?"
"As of one hour ago, General Grievous is classified KIA on Utapau at the hands of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Right now news of his death is spreading throughout the galaxy."
Ahsoka stopped herself, immediately halting the motion of feeding herself another bite of steak "Grievous is dead?"
"I looked over various reports on the Holonet, it's been confirmed."
She couldn't help but begin to feel proud for Obi-Wan, with Grievous gone the separatist movements will be severely crippled, but suddenly her feeling of pride was washed away by a nauseating sensation, her head began to spin accompanied by a debilitating headache.
"Ahsoka? Your vitals are acting abnormally, are you alright?" Percival asks alarmed.
"Something's . . . wrong" she muttered as she tried to get up from her seat.
However she fell to her knees, she sensed a great loss in the Force, something she would feel when a Jedi has died but this was on a much larger scale.
The AI reports "I'm notifying the others immediately."
[Outer hull]
The SPARTANs had just finished up repairs on the breached portion of the ship, not exactly back to its original state but it was approved by Percival for slipspace travel.
They were already being processed through the nearest airlock on deck eight, the two were chuckling about a past memory they shared together when Percival immediately alerted them "James, Jorge. Something's happened."
The two stopped with Jorge asking "What do you mean Percival?"
"Something is wrong with Ahsoka, she's in the cafeteria on deck fifteen."
James immediately sprang into action "Let's go Jorge!" and sprinted down the hall with his partner close behind.
It was a matter of minutes before they reached the lift, which was already present to take them up, curtesy of the AI, the two climbed aboard and began to ascend to the upper levels.
Percival begins to inform them "Ahsoka Tano was in the cafeteria eating what she normally has when I informed her of Grievous's demise on Utapau."
Longarm was surprised to hear that the general was dead, but he allowed the AI to continue without pause "At first she seemed quite proud, but then her vitals began to display erratic behavior, signs of nausea and dizziness were the most evident."
James then steps in "We'll need to get her to the med-bay on deck seven. Percival I need MRIs on standby when we get there, figure out what's happening."
"Of course, it'll be ready when you arrive."
The lift came to a stop on fifteen, the two SPARTANs began to rush off when Percival stops them "Wait- I'm picking up massive activity on the Holonet . . . James you might want to come see this."
Longarm pointed to Jorge "Go! Get Ahsoka down to medical!", as Jorge nods and sprints away, he turns around and steps back onto the lift stating "I'm on my way Percival."
It wasn't long until the SPARTAN-ll reached the command bridge, stepping through the bulkhead hatch in time to see a hologram of an aged hooded figure giving a speech, he only arrived to hear a part of a statement "- the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. At last, there came a day when our enemies showed their true natures."
James asks calmly "Percival, who is that?"
"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic . . . this transmission is being broadcasted throughout all known channels in the entire galaxy."
"What's going on?"
"I think it's better if you hear for yourself."
The two returned their attention to the Chancellor's speech "But the aims of would-be tyrants were valiantly opposed by those without elitist, dangerous powers. Our loyal clone troopers contained the insurrection within the Jedi Temple and quelled uprisings on a thousand worlds."
"An insurrection at the Temple?" the SPARTAN muttered with confusion.
"The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated! Any collaborators will suffer the same fate."
"What?" he then asks surprised by what Palpatine was saying.
"These have been trying times, but we have passed the test. The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed, but I assure you my resolve has never been stronger!"
Percival interrupts reporting "James, I'm intercepting multiple reports of clone troops executing their Jedi officers on multiple fronts . . . on the bases of treason by the Jedi. I even found reports of an invasion on the temple itself on Coruscant."
"Something's not right . . ." the SPARTAN muttered beneath his breath.
"We stand on the threshold of a new beginning. In order to ensure security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized, into the first Galactic Empire! For a safe and secure society, which I assure you will last for ten thousand years! An Empire that will continue to be ruled by this august body and a sovereign ruler chosen for life. An Empire ruled by the majority, ruled by a new constitution!"
The two continued to listen carefully "By bringing the entire galaxy under one law, one language, and the enlightened guidance of one individual, the corruption that plagued the Republic in its later years will never take root. Regional governors will eliminate the bureaucracy that allowed the Separatist movement to grow unchecked. A strong and growing military will ensure the rule of law."
Jorge soon appeared on the bridge reporting "She's a little out of it but she'll recover soon . . ." he then spots the hooded hologram "What's happening?"
Longarm answered in a lowly disappointed tone, directed towards the self-proclaimed Emperor's speech, "A declaration of a new order . . . an empire."
"-will give no grounds to our enemies and will stand together against attacks within or without. Let the enemies of the Empire take heed: those who challenge Imperial resolve will be crushed!"
"This doesn't sound too good at all . . ." the Jorge remarked as he listened.
"No it isn't, Republic troops all across the galaxy are killing off their Jedi officers, all for this new Empire . . ." James replied.
"Wait, isn't Ahsoka one of the Jedi?"
"Unfortunately yes . . ."
Ahsoka finally arrived to the bridge, albeit weakly and somewhat disoriented from her episode, Jorge walked over to her and offered to help her to a seat however she declined and stepped up to the holotable with James and Percival "Something horribly wrong is happening . . . I can feel the darkness growing . . ." she states with some fear in her voice.
Longarm informs her "I'm sorry Ahsoka, but Percival received reports that Republic troops are turning against the Jedi, executing them on the spot for treason."
"What!? The Jedi Order would never betray the Republic! "
"I know, there's also been reports that troops invaded the temple on Coruscant."
"No! We have to go help them!"
Percival however argues "It will take us three days to reach Coruscant, it will be too late before we arrive."
"Even if we don't make it in time, there might still be survivors! We have to get there as soon as possible!"
Jorge raises another problem "It's going to be in the heart of enemy territory. They'll be all over us the moment we come out of slipspace."
A moment of silence overcame them all, with Palpatine's voice continuing "-citizens must do their part. Join our grand star fleet. Become the eyes of the Empire by reporting suspected insurrectionists. Travel to the corners of the galaxy to spread the principles of the New Order to barbarians. Build monuments and technical wonders that will speak of our glory for generations to come.
The clone troopers, now proudly wearing the name of Imperial stormtroopers, have tackled the dangerous work of fighting our enemies on the front lines. Many have died in their devotion to the Empire. Imperial citizens would do well to remember their example."
Ahsoka turns to her trusted friend "James please . . . we have to go. We can still save them."
Longarm was conflicted within, he knew for Ahsoka's sake they needed to head to the temple in search of survivors but that would mean putting the Vanguard in extreme danger, losing the ship would be a devastating, if not lethal blow to their efforts to survive and combat the Covenant. But she raised a valid point, if there are indeed survivors by the time they arrive then it is their duty to rescue as many Jedi as possible.
Jorge noticed he was in deep thought and argued "Brother, we're walking into something much bigger than the Clone Wars . . . it'll be us against an entire empire . . ."
"If we don't go to rescue them then we're no better than the Empire Jorge . . ." she states.
The two then turned to James once more, Percival was the one to ask "Orders SPARTAN?"
Moments later and finally he orders "You heard her Percival, set course for Coruscant" he then turns his attention to the two "This has officially become a UNSC Search and Rescue operation, we'll need a plan worked out before we arrive."
Everyone complied in acknowledgement, Ahsoka was proud while Jorge trusted his friend enough to know what he is doing, while the Vanguard corrected its course and jumped into slipspace towards the heart of Imperial control, all the while Palpatine slowly draws his speech to a close "We have been tested, but we have emerged stronger. We move forward as one people: the Imperial citizens of the Galactic Empire. We will prevail. Ten thousand years of peace begins!"
Please leave your thoughts and comments. Thank you.
