Chapter 4 Prelude to a meeting

Orbit above Felucia 20 BBY

RRS Resolute Hanger

Anakin looked around the hanger, his eyes scanning for his clone captain. He quickly spotted him by a LAAT talking with some of his men. Anakin then hurriedly rushed over to the Captain. Upon getting closer, he saw that Rex was with Fives and Jesse. This should make things closer, Anakin thought to himself as he reached the gunship and proceeded to lean on it.

Noticing that Anakin was leaning on the LAAT, Rex quickly ended the conversation with Fives and Jesse. "There something you need, General?" Rex asked.

"Yes, there is. I'm going to need you and four of your best men to come with me." Anakin told the Clone Captain.

"Of course, General. May I ask why, though, sir?" The Clone asked, wondering what his best men

"I'll explain once you're assembled," Anakin replied to Rex.

"Fives, Jesse. Find Tup and Kix and bring them here." Rex ordered the two clones.

"Yes, sir." The clones said simultaneously as they ran off to find the other clones.

A few minutes of searching later, and Rex found both clones.

"Now that everyone is assembled, I can explain why you're needed. Anakin stated. "As of roughly two hours ago, a fleet of unknown ships appeared in the system. Anakin explained. "That part we already know. "recently; however, the unknowns moved their fleet closer to ours and stated negations with Admiral Yularen. From what we've been able to guess from what was said during the talk with their leader, this is a patrol fleet belonging to a group calling itself the UNSC. It would also appear that we're not the first group to encounter the UNSC as it would appear that they had a hostile first encounter if Admiral Yularen's guesses are to be believed. As we'll be meeting on their ship. After we've boarded their ship Yularen, General Koon, Rex, and I will meet with their leadership, and you four shall watch the ship. I should go without saying but be on your best behaviour and be nice. As I'm none of this want to start any wars." Anakin stated.

"I know I speak for the boys, but I don't exactly like the terms that the Admiral agreed to." Said Rex with a hint of concern.

"Neither do I, Rex, but it's all that can be done to ensure a peaceful start. Come on. We should link up with General Koon and the Admiral. As I'm sure there are still some finer details to go through," Anakin said as they started moving toward the lift to the bridge.

"Of course, sir," Rex said as he started to follow Skywalker.

24th June 2535

UNSC Bonaventure Cafeteria

Mason Anderson looked around the room, trying to find a spot to sit. The young ODST had only recently been assigned to the Bonaventure after having recently passed through the advanced training to become one a few weeks ago. Upon seeing an open seat by one of the Cafeterias viewports, Mason rushed over to the open seat before someone else was able to reach it. Upon reaching the seat, he set his tray down and took a moment to observe the nearby planet. After finishing observing the planet, he was about to begin eating when he heard a voice behind him.

"Lance Corporal Anderson, is it?" The voice asked. Turning around, Marcus saw the man to who the voice belonged to. He quickly turned around, stood up and gave a salute. "That's me, Captain," Marcus replied. "After you're finished eating your meal, you're needed on the bridge for a meeting," Smith said to the private as he gave a salute back and started to walk to the lifts. "Yes, sir," Marcus replied as he dropped his salute and went back to his meal.

Marcus quickly finished his meal and dropped off his meal tray before running to the lift that'll take him to the bridge. What could Captain Smith need me for? Mason thought to himself nervously as the lift carried him to the upper deck.

UNSC Bonaventure Bridge

Upon the lift reaching the bridge deck, Marcus was greeted by a surprisingly few amount of people on the deck. I thought there would be more people on the deck. Marcus thought to himself as he ran to the bridge.

Upon reaching the Bridge, Marcus saw Captain Smith in a meeting room just off the Bridge with Rear Admiral Nelles, Captain Angelos, Colonel Glenn and three troopers. Noticing that they seemed to be waiting for him Marcus walked in and popped a salute and stated, "Sir Lance Corporal Mason Anderson reporting."

"Good, you're here. We can finally go over the plan. Corporal, if you wouldn't mind, could you please stand around the table." A youngish voice belonging to Rear Admiral Nelles said.

"Of course, sir," Marcus replied as he walked to the holotable.

"Now to bring everyone up to speed and why you're all here," Nelles said as he tapped at a few controls on the holotable. The table lit up as he pressed the last button as it started to display the UNSC battle, the group system they were in and most surprising to Marcus, a group of unknown ships orbiting the planet. It must've been visible from the starboard side, Marcus thought to himself, watching the holotable.

"Approximately three hours ago, we entered an unknown system and encountered an unknown fleet that is neither UNSC, Innie, or Covenant in origin. "Smith stated as the holotable zoomed in on the unknown fleet orbiting the planet. "After roughly an hour and a half, Colonel Glenn, Rear Admiral Nelles, Captain Angelos, and myself were able to make peaceful contact with the unknown fleet and its Commander. Apparently, this fleet is part of a larger entity calling itself the Galactic Republic, and the fleet is lead by a man by the name of Wullf Yularen with the rank of Admiral." Smith said as the holotable changed to show a display of Admiral Yularen. "However, there are also two additional people of note who have the rank of General," Smith said as the holotable again changed its display again to show a humanoid figured wearing a robe with some armour on its forearms and a human male wearing a different robe with black gloves and what appear to be braces on the right forearms. "You be wondering why I'm telling you all of this. The reason is that in less than an hour, we'll be having a formal meeting aboard this ship, and I want you to be prepared for what you'll be encountering.

"Now your mission is serving as escorts for our guests and escorts them to the meeting room we have prepared and to serve as guards for the duration of the meeting, and to escort them back to their ship," Smith stated. "Now, are there any questions?" Smith asked. "Why us, sir?" A voice belonging to one of the troopers near Marcus asked. "Sargent Letho, you and the three other men here were sleeted as you are all different as you are the least xenophobic men on the ship, and as you can tell from our humanoid friend here, we're going to need men like you if we're going to continue interacting with this Republic. Smith stated. Marcus raised his hand. "Your question Lance Corporal?" Smith asked. "What will our equipment be for this?" Marcus asked, "For equipment, you the four of shall be wearing your dress uniform with a ballistic plate along with the MA5C." Smith stated. A few moments passed. "If there are no further questions, then you're dismissed. Smith stated and ordered.

Marcus and the others filed out of the room to prepare when a voice "Brisko, could you stay back here a moment? We have a few other things to go through." A voice belonging to Angelos ordered. Looking back, Marcus saw the man, now identified as Brisko, quickly walking back to the man Marcus guessed was an ONI man of some sort. Of course, ONI would be involved with this, Marcus thought as he went to the lift to get his uniform ready for prime time.

RRS Resolute Hanger

"Ready, Admiral?" Anakin asked Yularen as they both boarded the Nu-Class shuttle.

"Truthfully, General Skywalker, I am not. This is a job for ambassadors. But we can't leave the fleet wait for however long they'd take to ship up, and it'd be rude to leave our hosts waiting. Yularen stated as the boarding ramp of the Shuttle closed.

"We're ready for take-off pilot," Rex told the pilot. The scraping sounds of the Venator soon filled the crew compartment of the shuttle as it began to take off.

"Ready to dive into the heart of the unknown Kix?" Fives asked his fellow trooper.

"So long as they don't decide to kill us, Fives," Kix replied.

"Admiral, you've interacted with them anything we should overtly be aware of?" Kix asked Yularen

"Besides sides needing to be worried about possible incidents involving General Koon. There's nothing I can really think of that we need to be aware of. Maybe some intelligence gathering on their part but that seems par for the course." Yularen stated.

"Should be a few minutes to reach their ship. It's the one that looks like half a hexagon, right Admiral?" The pilot of the shuttle stated and asked.

"Yes, that's the one." The Admiral stated

"You were told where we're supposed to land the ship, right, Admiral?" The pilot asked the Admiral

Before Yularen was able to respond, a voice appeared over the coms. "This is Bonaventure actual to Republic shuttlecraft. over."

Realizing that the UNSC was trying to contact them, the pilot responded. "This is Republic shuttlecraft. We read you Bonaventure actual. Over." The pilot responded.

"Roger that proceed to the topside hanger and land near where the men are. Over." Bonaventure ordered.

"Roger that Bonaventure." The pilot replied

UNSC Bonaventure Upper Hanger

"I believe I see the welcoming the party. I spot about two squads and infantry, and I think eight men in formation," he said as he piloted the shuttle through the hanger of the Bonaventure.

"Feels a little tight to manoeuvre in here, but I'll try to land as close to them as I can, sir." The pilot said to Yularen as he began landing procedures.

After some difficulty, the pilot was able to land the shuttle four meters in front of the UNSC forces.

"Well, Admiral ready to history?" Anakin said as the boarding ramp of the shuttle lowered.

A.N

we'll be getting the action in chapter 6 it looks like. I originally was pushing for 5. But then this whole chapter expanded from that idea.

In-case some of you are confused by who is all here for the UNSC crew here's a quick rundown of all of the

Rear Admiral Charles Nelles - He's the Captain of the Bonaventure and the Commander of Battle Group Carolina

Colonel Chestly Glenn - He's the overall Commander of the Marines stationed across Battle Group Carolina

Captain Erwin Smith - He's the commander of the ODSTs stationed with Battle Group Carolina. While he is technically a subordinate of Glenn, he has a lot of autonomy since ODSTs fall under the purview of Navy Special warfare command.

Captain Gabriel Angelos - Captain of the Mojave he is also the commander of the ONI forces stationed with Battle Group Carolina

Lance Corporal Mason Anderson - A young ODST who has been recently posted to the Bonaventure. Has done two prior tours of duties as a marine.

Sargent Letho - One of the four that'll be escorting the Republic VIPs during the meeting on the Bonaventure

Brisko - one of them that'll be escorting the Republic VIPs along with Sgt Letho, L Cpl Anderson, and one other