Hey folks, it has been a while, huh? Well, we're back at it!

This time we're getting a cooldown chapter, let the Militia and Republic natives share some time together, share some culture and what not. Plus, meeting Militia characters! And word of forewarning: all of them will be OCs for now.

Titanfall doesn't have a whole lot of characters to use.

Also, two more things: First, and just in case I haven't mentioned it to the folks outside of SB, this story has a TVTropes page! You're all welcome to add to it, because I sure as hell know almost zero about classifying tropes.

Second, related to Apex and its relation to this fic: from what I've managed to research about Apex, it is set 18-20 years after Titanfall 2. This fic considers the timeline as being several decades after TF2, and with the Frontier War still on-going. Because of that, tech that shows up in Apex will be considered canon to Titanomachy, including weapons and such. I say this because they just dropped a machinegun fueled by Thermite Grenades and fucking micro-drones the size of insects, and let me tell ya that's the kind of tech we flaunt to the Republic for our dick-measuring contest. So yeah, that.

… Also while they already debuted Valkyrie in Apex… I kiiiiiiinda had plans for Viper's child showing up on the story (admittedly, a son most likely), but that happened. I might still do it, but instead of being directly Valkyrie, it'll be based on my planned notes for her. So, there's that.

… Oh right spoilers on that one.

Anyway, in we go.

~O~

CORUSCA SECTOR, CORUSCANT SYSTEM – CORUSCANT, OUTER ORBIT PERIMETER

The space traffic around the Republic's capital has always been legendarily hectic, even with the many efforts taken to keep routes and lanes organized. With the advent of the war, however, it seemed even those measures had begun to not be enough. As a result, to keep the chaos from the arrival of so many refugee and military ships to a minimum and avoid potential infiltrators, all new arrivals were forced to drop from hyperspace at a specified distance, then approach the planet with sublight propulsion, allowing Coruscant's defense fleet and planetary authorities to scan them for any possible dangers.

Still, exceptions could be made from time to time. Such as right now, as a perimeter was formed around a large empty swathe of space away from Coruscant's orbit, with enough room to allow for the arrival of their newest allies. Said perimeter was composed of four Venator-class Star Destroyers, and the single Defender-class assault carrier that said allies had sent as a courier. One such Venator-class was the flagship of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Negotiator. And indeed, the Jedi was aboard the warship, standing at the bridge as he awaited the arrival of the Militia fleet.

"The anticipation sure is great, wouldn't you agree, Cody?" asked Obi-Wan with his usual calm and cool, his hands held behind his back as he watched the expansive void beyond Coruscant. Beside him, Cody stood at parade's rest, his helmet slung beneath his armpit.

"I have to admit, I do look forward to it, general," replied the clone with a smile. "If what the team that fought alongside Master Yoda said about these Pilots of theirs is true… Well, I'd very much like to see one myself."

"First we'll get them settled in, my friend. They deserve some rest, and we're here to make sure they're provided such."

"Of course, sir."

A comfortable silence settled between Cody and Obi-Wan after that, the two simply peering through the viewports as the minutes passed, when suddenly the sound of heavy metal boots clanking against the floor drew the attention of the two to someone approaching from behind. And lo and behold, their new arrival was captain Lance Howe, a small plastic bottle filled with juice in one hand and a smile on his face. "General Kenobi, Commander Cody," he greeted the two with a short nod for each, before turning to the view port himself. "Worry not, the fleet has confirmed that they'll arrive shortly. Our wait will be over soon."

"Oh, I certainly don't mind the wait, captain," replied the Jedi with a wave of his hand. "Peaceful missions like these are perfect to calm the mind and spirit… Especially in the middle of this war."

In response, Howe gave solemn hum before taking a sip from his juice bottle. "Trust me, I am more than aware of this feeling, master Jedi… The years made me treasure any moment of peace I was given. And I intend to allow the men and women under my command a well-earned respite for now."

Thankfully, the dour mood was quickly swept away by an alert pinging from one of the station consoles below, the clone operating said station turning his chair around to face his commanding officers. "General, we're picking up several energy signatures just ahead. They match the ones provided by the Chronos."

"Well, let us see what your fleet is like captain."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, several spots in space ahead of the five ships began sparkling with bolts of electricity and distort, as if invisible hands began twisting and pulling the void like it was made of gel, until finally, in many flashes of light and, surprisingly enough, thunderclaps, the Militia's Fifth Fleet finished their jump, marking the first time the galaxy natives would see warships from the Milky Way.

And Obi-Wan had to admit, it was certainly an impressive showcase. There were twenty-two ships in total, of many varied designs and sizes. At the forefront, two Defender-class ships could be seen, alongside eight smaller and bulbous-looking green vessels, their many turrets and guns visibly swiveling into neutral positions. Behind the outer line, six white-and-yellow cruisers with very aggressive-looking nacelles and sleek hulls stood at the ready in two groups of three, surrounding four smaller ships that, curiously and somewhat humorously, seemed to be nothing more than massive guns.

And finally, at the rear of the formation were the two largest ships of the gathered fleet. Both were very utilitarian in their design, but had very different body profiles: One was long and bulky, with a large forward section that tapered off towards the tail. And though it was obvious such a ship was ill-fitted for battle, the sheer size of the vessel was enough to dwarf even their Venators, in a way that made Cody think if the ship rammed them, they'd most likely not survive.

The second ship, however, very much had the look for a vessel for combat. It was far more blocky, but had a lean and elongated design, with many more weapons visible upon its hull. However, judging by the many, many hangar exits Obi-Wan could see upon it, and the far larger core section of the vessel, its role was certainly that of a carrier than that of a ship-of-the-line.

"That is quite a force you possess," spoke the Jedi Master as he rubbed his chin in thought and observed the many ships as they began their journey towards Centax-3, the other three Venators of the Republic group quickly moving to remain ahead of the Militia vessels and properly guide them through. "At the very least, it seems many of your comrades have made it through your last battle."

"Not as many as I hoped, unfortunately…" replied Lance sadly, his gaze falling upon the Defenders leading the Fifth Fleet alongside the Gladius-class cruisers. "But I take solace in every life we could save."

Beside them, Cody gave an appreciative whistle, his focus instead on the Liberty-class carrier at the back of the formation. "Still, those are some ships. That flagship looks like it could fit a whole fleet of fighters."

That comment drew a curious look at Cody from Howe, the captain lightly tilting his head to follow the clone's line of sight. "Hm? Oh, you mean the Orpheus. I'm sorry to disappoint you, commander, but that is not the flagship of our fleet."

"What? Then which is it—"

"G-General Kenobi!" called out the same operator from before, only with a far more panicked tone to his voice this time. "Detecting another energy signature! This one's massive!"

And indeed, where the Militia Fleet had only moments ago been, space once more began distorting… Only far more violently, and with thick black clouds alongside the far more numerous lightning bolts oozing into reality, until finally, the last ship of the Sentinel Corps materialized into existence, even sending a nebula-like shockwave with its arrival.

And truly, it was a fitting heralding for the gargantuan vessel that the Negotiator found itself facing.

Were Obi-Wan, Cody, or any other member of the bridge crew less stupefied by the sheer scale of the warship they had allowed to come to Coruscant, they would have commented on its similarity in body shape to their Venators, bar the lack of a bridge tower. Instead, all they did was gape and stare as the eight-kilometer-long dreadnought began trudging forward, covered in enough weapons to fight (and most likely defeat) an entire fleet by itself and with hangars large enough to fit frigates inside them. The dreadnought's engines burned bright blue and launched flames fit to burn down entire forests behind itself as it slowly passed by the Negotiator, allowing the crew of the Venator to see the words painted upon its hull… Alongside what seemed to be many, many kill tallies, all of them marked as skulls.

MCS AVALANCHE

DETRAHE DEOS IGNI ET TONITRU

"That, Commander Cody… Is our flagship."

-O-

CORUSCA SECTOR, CORUSCANT SYSTEM – CENTAX-3, CORUSCANT MOON

Having only recently started being converted into a refugee colony, Coruscant's third moon still possessed many empty urban areas, ready to have new shelters and facilities built upon it. However, with no governments or groups stepping forward to burden the costs of creating such facilities, these lots remained empty.

Until now, that is.

Now, refugees watched in awe, curiosity or fear as dozens of transports, both small and large, descended from the newly arrived fleet in orbit and landed onto a hastily-erected LZ manned by clone troopers who had been assigned to assist the Militia's efforts, and who were treated to the veritable horde of mechs, humans and small vehicles disembarking from Crows, Mother Geese and even a Trojan heavy transport or two. There were Gremlins, Samsons, Bucephali, Marvins, Moose and Toros, all offloading supplies and construction materials for the quickly growing pre-fab town being raised in the flat metal surface that had just scant hours ago been nothing more than an empty lot, while around them crewmembers and troops laid down paths and directed traffic into as orderly a fashion as they could, spreading out the ocean of wheels and metal to allow as much room as possible to allow things to keep moving.

And amidst the storm of activity and noise, holding a data pad and handing out orders to awaiting Militia troops, stood Natalia, her beige heavy armor standing out greatly against the green-clad figures surrounding her and awaiting orders.

"Gerald, we got a Goose coming in loaded with medical supplies. Get it to Storage Four and put some turrets down to guard it!" she barked to a fully-clad trooper beside her, who gave a quick salute before moving away. "Harris, we need recharge stations for the Marvins, I don't want no empty bodies clogging up traffic, get to it!"

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!"

"Pilot, we got some civilians starting to approach the perimeter. Should we set up Spectre guards?"

"Negative, I don't want corpses cropping up because they thought they could take on a Spectre. Get some of the clones and two squads and tell them to move along."

"At once, ma'am."

"Erica, the last of the Trojans are coming down with the rest of the parts and electronics for the base. Get some Moose to haul everything off and to the last areas and make sure nothing is missing."

With those orders given and yet another call of "Yes ma'am!" to her, Natalia was finally allowed a moment to breathe, a groan echoing from within her helmet as she handed the data pad off to a passing Marvin and began walking to the largest pre-fab building in the area, and consequently one of the first to be erected: their temporary CIC. "Punishment detail over brawling with some people… Goddammit, the commander can be an ass sometimes…" she muttered low, pulling her helmet off as she walked and letting the cold air of the moon city cool her head, her free hand running through her hair to properly release it. As she walked by the growing number of monitors and consoles being installed, Natalia tossed the data pad atop a metal table off to the side, hearing it clack against the piled-up ones already on the table before throwing herself onto a chair with another weary sigh. "Hope she actually gives us some R&R after this… I need a break…"

"Rest periods will be allotted once work has been completed, Pilot Estrada," came the monotone voice of Shatterglass as one of its avatar bodies walked into the room, its steps clanking lightly against the floor as the towering robot approached Natalia. "For the immediate future, housing for our logistics efforts must be made priority."

"Yeah, I'm aware of it, big guy…" muttered the Pilot in response, slumping against the table as she began picking through the pile of data pads for another one to scroll through. "Doesn't make it any less of a pain in the ass to do… Speaking of which, where's the commander?"

"Currently headed towards the Avalanche to organize a meeting with the Council of Captains."

"So not coming back for a while. Great, fantastic… Alright, let's get this shit done with." And with that, she took a few more data pads and stood up from the chair once more, handing two to the AI platform. "These have the planned turret and Spectre deployment areas for the compound. Start getting them down and make sure they're well-protected."

"Understood, Pilot Estrada," replied the ship AI, dutifully taking the pads in hand before walking away towards another exit out of the CIC building. And as the robot left, Natalia took one more look at the pile of pads, before rising from the chair and sliding her helmet back on.

"Well, back to the chaos…"

-O-

ORBIT AROUND CENTAX-3 – DOMINATION-CLASS DREADNOUGHT, MCS AVALANCHE

The meeting room where all twenty-four captains of the Sentinel Corps fleet had gathered was far livelier now than it had been after their arrival to this new galaxy. With their safety mostly guaranteed and prospects for a set base and allies, the Council of Captains instead chatted amongst one another, each one holding a data pad with guides to the galactic community helpfully delivered by Chancellor Palpatine.

The information within had been… Eye-opening, to say the least.

Hundreds of different species and governments across an entire galaxy somehow smaller than the Milky Way, but far more filled with life. Technology that was both advanced in some areas and retrograde in others. A history that seemed to span tens of thousands of years, not to mention the many, many factions related to the Jedi Order and its history. Suffice to say, even the Simulacrum amongst them realized the task would be daunting, even with Shatterglass already putting what processes of its vast digital mind it could spare to compile a summarized version for their crews.

"And I thought things back home were confusing already…" groaned Deanna as she kneaded her forehead in frustration, her other hand flicking through the pages of the guide in the data pad. "This is like relearning human history from the ground up… Only somehow worse."

"It is still our duty to learn, kapitan," replied Raikov as he took another swig from his hip flask. "I'd rather not have us commit diplomatic incidents due to being ignorant of customs."

"I am quite aware of that, Raikov, thank you very much. It does not make it any less of a struggle…"

In response to that, an amused chuckle sounded out from not too many seats away, and whose source was a man clad in an ornate red-and-gold uniform and wearing a white metal mask over much of his face. "Yes, though it still presents quite an opportunity, no?" asked Azrael Durandal, the "Seraph Count" of the Sentinel Corps and captain of the Graves-class battlecruiser Hercules. "An entire government who holds a favorable view of us due to our actions, and whom we can freely negotiate for our needs. Truly, a boon we should freely utilize."

"We still have the other government body to worry about, Azrael," spoke up Bomani, of the Defender-class Demolisher. "One who has every reason to detest us and wish for our destruction, if these files are to be believed."

"Indeed… But what is a gamble, without challenge to it?"

"One that I try to stack in my favor as hard as I can."

With that declaration, Elyse walked into the meeting room, now dressed in her matte-black commander armor, her half-coat flapping lightly with each step she took, and helmet securely fastened to her belt. Without preambles, the Pilot moved to her seat and sat down, quickly pulling a small storage unit from her pocket and inserting it into the console in front of her on the table. A moment later, a large hologram of Nibelungen and its many facilities appeared. "Now, I know we have all the talks about our newest friends and everything related… But right now we have more… Pressing matters to attend to. So let's get to them."

In a flash, silence fell upon the room, all captains straightening their postures and placing their data pads off to the side. Once all of them looked settled, Elyse gave another nod and motioned to the hologram in front of her. "Even if it ended with us throw halfway across the universe, our raid on the IMC's fortress was successful, and we managed to take quite a lot of things. Now… I've been somewhat occupied with all that's been going on, so I'll begin by asking… What's the status of our main objective?"

"Archimedes and Nicolai are both secured and safely held aboard this warship, commander," quickly replied Shatterglass, its avatar standing at attention on a far corner of the room. "Both are inert, and awaiting proper testing grounds to be found."

"And the data we pulled on them?"

"Analysis proves it to be genuine. However, confirmation can only be gained once testing is performed."

"Alright. Once things are settled, we'll ready an expedition and find an empty planet to run all the tests. For now, they stay locked inside the ship… And hidden."

"Aye-aye, ma'am."

With an approving nod, Elyse turned towards Deanna and snapped her fingers towards the carrier captain. "Moving on, then. What else have we got?"

In response, Deanna took a long drag from her cigarette, then blew the smoke up to the ceiling. "A few prototype drone and manned fighters, next-generation models by the looks of them. We also found data for a third-generation drone fighter, but no built models to speak of, only schematics."

"A third-generation fighter craft, fully built and with spare parts, was also acquired at the Nibelungen site," added ARIES, who with a few button presses of their own console made a hologram of said fighter appear on screen, far sleeker in look compared to their Hornets. "Preliminary analysis indicates its performance far exceeds that of current-gen craft or planned models, but modification of our production lines would be required for mass-production. Currently, only this singular model is available. Pilot Hawk has already petitioned for ownership of it."

"Of course he has…" groaned Elyse, hanging her head in frustration as thoughts of that particular headache came to her, before she turned her attention who Deanna, who seemed ready to strangle someone. "… Did you authorize it?"

"You mean after I threw him on solitary for trash talking every other pilot aboard the Orpheus?" replied the woman, her rhetorical question being punctuated by her throwing her cigarette onto the floor and stomping on it. "Yes, I did. Piece of shit as Hawk may be, he's still got a point… He's our best pilot. I'll still grind him to dust in simulators before letting him fly the actual plane, of course."

"Small mercies…"

"As for ground vehicles, some landships they had parked there are ours, plus some Wolverine APCs. We also found out the IMC had developed and began construction of their new main battle tanks," added Alberte as he took a swig from his hip flask, right as yet again the hologram changed to that of a strange, blocky quadruped tank. "Call them Arbalests, apparently. High end stuff too. We're talking hover tanks with railguns, optional AI piloting, modular weapons systems… We stole 40 intact ones, plus the plans for building more, and we started converting the production lines already." With his piece said, the Damocles' captain motioned to Islay, who coughed once before picking up his data pad once more flicking through it.

"The Wreckers also reported their raid on the nuclear stockpile was successful—"

"Wait wait wait, hold that phone."

His words were quickly cut off, however, by the absolutely scathing glare that Elyse had now directed towards him, her fists clenched and the commander herself leaning forward onto the table. "What. Nuclear. Stockpile?"

To his credit, Islay did not wither under the Pilot's gaze. Still, he could not help the cough that escaped his throat, something that seemed to draw much amusement for Azrael. "To assist our forces during the operation, the Wreckers volunteered to perform a raid on a nuclear stockpile the IMC had on the planet, and draw pressure from our other objectives. At the… Insistence of Hyperion, the Wreckers successfully made it to the nuclear stockpile and acquired the warheads."

Elyse didn't reply at first. She merely kept her glare leveled at Islay, her silver eyes seemingly trying to burn a scorch mark into the captain's forehead, until finally after what seemed to be an eternity, she let out a sigh and waved her hand dismissively. "How many, and how powerful?"

"Forty-two collected in total, commander," replied Shatterglass helpfully yet again. "Twenty-eight thirty megaton model warheads, eight thirty-five megaton models warheads, and six fifty megaton warheads. All of them have been evenly spread across our fleet, as both a safety measure and to de-centralize their deployment capability."

"We've also made sure to not leave any with the Wreckers, commander… And captain Boone has confirmed that he'll keep Hyperion in line and away from the nukes."

"The minimum I expected out of him, honestly," Elyse replied with a completely deadpan stare, something that earned more than a few laughs all around. "Fucking psychopath… Why the hell Boone keeps him around…"

Once more, Azrael chuckled in amusement as he leaned forward, fingers entwined and elbows propped on the table as he aimed his mask-covered gaze to his superior. "The actions of our most entertaining unit aside, there is one last point to cover regarding our raid in Nibelungen. The laboratories we raided yielded a plethora of different technologies, all of which I have compiled onto a document for review. The more pressing matter is, of course, the four subjects we retrieved."

Yet again, all humor vanished from the room. In its place, solemnity and pity remained, especially to those who had heard of the rescued people by the Seraph Count during their escape. With almost eerie slow, Elyse turned to the man, clenching and unclenching her hands until finally her voice returned. "… How are they?"

"Stable for now, and asleep. They've yet to wake after being put under, but at the very least remain healthy," replied Azrael. "They're all aboard my vessel's med-bay, and inside shielded habitats. I'd like to request they remain there until their psychological profile can be confirmed, and further tests can be made."

"I don't want them to be made into lab rats anymore, Azrael. They've been through enough."

"Indeed. But I believe it is still prudent that we make sure that what the IMC has done to them is, if not already permanent, reversible. And of course, how much of an asset they can be to us in a situation as dire as this."

His words held no contempt, no suspicion. Indeed, Azrael spoke them as if the conversation was a banal one, his posture showing just how relaxed the man was. To many, it would be taken as disregard for the four lives.

It was only his reputation and the years all of the men and women in this room had shared with the Seraph Count that allowed them to see it for the cold professionalism that the man could carry.

It did not mean they weren't unhappy with the decision.

A long moment of silence followed that statement, until finally Elyse gave a nod of consent. "Alright… Alright, I'm giving you permission. But if you want any invasive tests, you're running them by me first, understood?"

"Of course, commander."

"Good… Alright, any other topics to cover?" When her question was met with either silence or shaking heads from the captains, Elyse visibly slackened her posture before quickly straightening her back, feeling some of the bones in it pop into place. "In that case, let's move to the bigger matter at hand: our agreement with the Republic." Yet again, the commander pressed buttons on the controls in front of her, and yet again the hologram changed, this time to an image of the galaxy, with their position and current control zones helpfully marked. "These are the territories controlled by each side. Obviously, we can't cover this feasibly or in a way that doesn't endanger our ships, or our combat capability. And until we find a pipeline of resources to supplant our materials, our deployment power is limited."

"Current resource stockpiles have been significantly lowered due to the construction of our lunar base camp and repairs to our fleet and remaining forces," added ARIES, their head twitching lightly as they continued speaking. "Fleet-scale and large-scale ground deployments should only be considered a last resort."

"My point exactly. And while I did offer help to the Chancellor… Well, like I told him, I won't force anyone to act. So instead we're running this by the Militia's old book: I want all of you to run interviews on your ships with every single Pilot team, and get me a roster of who's willing to fight. Special Ops, support, recon… Small teams, acting as force multipliers for their troops, just like the Pilots of old."

"We have enough mechanized infantry to spare them as support for these teams if need be, and enough ammunition to last several small-scale deployments," said the captain of the Courage, Minerva. "If need be, maybe a private vehicle or two… But the biggest question would be Titans—"

"Out of question," quickly interjected captain Howe, his pipe resting in his grasp and wafting smoke. "Titans are our greatest tactical advantage, and their technology is beyond that of our mainstay arsenal. Until we are positive that the situation necessitates their deployment, and we finally have resources to repair and replenish them, all Titans will remain hidden and aboard our ships."

"Transports will also be limited, up to a point. If a team does not have their own vessel, they'll be provided a fully loaded Pegasus dropship," continued Elyse, calmly pointing to the marked text holograms that showed their planned strategies. "It has enough cargo and supplies for long-term deployments, living space, and will let the teams bring mech troops or lighter vehicles with them. That's all that can be cleared for use, and only because of the self-destruct mechanism."

"Then it is settled," said Alberte as he raised his flask in a mock salute. "We'll run the interviews with our teams then, as long as Golem manages to succeed in their mission—"

"Alert, incoming message from Golem Unit."

"Speak of the devil… What's the call, Shatterglass?"

"Their mission has been completed. They are enroute to the system alongside a Republic fleet."

Shatterglass' announcement was met with cheers and cries of joy all across the room, even as the displayed hologram changed to reveal the image of three Venators cruisers… And that of an old garbage truck-like ship, and a familiar black avian-like ship.

It was a sight that brought a much-satisfied grin to Elyse, who leaned back onto her seat with her arms crossed.

"Gentlemen… We're in business."

-O-

CORUSCANT'S SURFACE – JEDI TEMPLE, NORTHERN HANGAR

Forty minutes later, Elyse and Howe stood alongside Obi-Wan, senator Amidala and chancellor Palpatine, several Senate Guards standing watch both around and behind them. All of them felt varying levels of relief and happiness as the Corvo smoothly glided onto the hangar, the exhaust flames barely visible as the black ship landed onto the floor, wafting heated steam from several vents around its hull before the access ramp lowered and touched the floor with a faint thud sound. And from within it walked out ten figures: the Golem Unit, Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, and a newly repaired R2-D2, all standing side-by-side as they approached the gathered welcome committee. Once the group stood across from their superiors, all of Golem plus Rex snapped into picture-perfect salutes towards their respective superiors, who replied with accepting nods. "Captain Howe, the mission was successful. Target was rescued and no casualties were incurred," said APOLLO, whose body no longer bore the scars from his battle with General Grievous. "We've also procured enemy intel from the station, alongside a vessel and salvage from a scavenger allied with the Confederacy forces."

"Excellent. I'm proud of your results, Pilot APOLLO," replied the captain with a soft smile, before focusing his attention onto the Jedi Knight and clone captain beside the Simulacra unit. "I assume the unit's performance has your approval?"

"Well, they certainly proved their skill," replied Rex with a smile. "The Pilots allowed us to find the station and the astromech quick and efficiently, and your droids kept my men safe. Any mission I can walk away from with all my brothers alive is one I can be proud of, captain."

"And it's not any person who can keep up and survive General Grievous," added Skywalker, a comment that made all the Republic natives widen their eyes in surprise.

"Is that true, Anakin?" asked Palpatine with a very pleased tone as he turned to look at the gathered Pilots.

"Yes, chancellor. APOLLO and PALLAS helped me distract General Grievous while NYX and Ahsoka rescued R2 from the Separatists. It was their help that let me distract the general long enough for the mission to succeed."

"Well, it would seem your troops are indeed very capable, commander Elyse," continued the chancellor, turning his gaze to the Militia leader. "If a Jedi Knight is willing to vouch for their competence, then I am more than assured that your services would assist us in ending this wretched war."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, chancellor. We'll do our best to live up to your expectations."

"A senate meeting is to take place three days from now," continued Palpatine, as he folded his hands behind his back. "I'd be more than happy to arrange things so as to properly announce our partnership to the members of the Republic."

"It would also give us time to go over both our contracts, and any future relocation processes," added Amidala, her tone as serene as always. "My colleague, Senator Bail Organa, has also offered to assist in any issue he may."

"Thank you for the offer, senator," replied Howe with a bow of his head, before turning his attention back to Golem. "APOLLO, your team is for now relieved. Return to the Chronos for repairs and ready your report."

"Yes, sir."

"The same should be said to you, Anakin," added Kenobi with his trademark smirk. "I'd very much like to hear the full story, and to see how well this mission's lesson has stuck with you."

Amusingly, the comment actually made Skywalker go bashful for a second, something that did not go unnoticed by either Ahsoka, Rex or even Padme, all of them giving innocent chuckles as Anakin rubbed the back of his head and looked to a far-off corner of the hangar.

"Yes, master…"

"Hey, no worries Skyguy!" called out NYX cheerfully with a pat on the Jedi's shoulder. "Look on the bright side! We saved the princess, beat the bad guy and all lived to tell the tale!"

"Beeeeeep-woooo-wee-boop-beep!"

"Oh, keep your trap shut, tin-can, you're ruining the moment." And with those grandiose words spoken, NYX turned around and gave Ahsoka a shoulder pat and a wink with her digital eye. "Catch ya later, Sohks!"

"May the winds and tides favor you all."

And with another round of salutes, all members of Golem returned to the Corvo, with the dropship taking off just a few moments later and disappearing out the hangar's access door, leaving the welcome committee alone with the newly-arrived Republic natives. So, with a wave of his hand, Palpatine motioned the entourage back towards the entrance into the Temple.

-O-

One day later…

OUTER RIM – D'ASTAN SECTOR – SERENNO SYSTEM, PLANET SERENNO

In the peace and security of his personal quarters, Count Dooku sat cross-legged and floating upon the air, meditating and allowing the Force to permeate his body and thoughts. It was one of the few activities from his days in the Jedi Order that he still practiced, all due to his master's insistence, and though he would only begrudgingly do so, Dooku would admit that it held merit as a way to maintain peace of mind.

Something he dearly necessitated at this moment.

The loss of Toydaria as an ally was bothersome, but still somewhat acceptable. Their trade routes would have allowed access to isolated Republic sectors, indeed, but this also meant several of his fleets could be relocated into other key locations, especially with the newest request by Wat Tambor for additional ships to reinforce the blockade over Ryloth. And of course, Katuunko would have required far too much influencing to be maintained under his control.

But no, this was not what had angered him so for so long. Instead, it was the addition in Ventress' report over the failure on Ruugosa.

The arrival of these unknown elements into the mission had caused her failure to be even greater, for rather than being defeated by a powerful Jedi Master such as Yoda, she had been repelled by an unaffiliated third party that somehow had technology to match a trained Sith warrior.

The implications were… Quite troubling.

"Master, Asajj Ventress has arrived. She awaits your summon."

The call from the servant droid was enough to draw Dooku from his meditative state, the Sith Lord calmly lowering himself back to the ground and retrieving his lightsaber with a quick pull of the Force. "Send her in."

"At once, master."

As the Separatist leader moved to sit upon his throne, the faint sound of the many doors leading to the chamber opening began echoing ever closer, until finally, right as Dooku had sat down, the last pair of doors opened to reveal the form of his apprentice, Ventress herself, who quickly moved forward and knelt on the ground below him. "Count Dooku," she spoke in a calm, respectful tone, one he indeed expected from an apprentice.

"Ventress," he replied in equal, his eyes studying her entire posture until they fell upon the scarred injury upon her leg, a scowl quickly forming upon Dooku's face before he quickly schooled his features. "I see your injury has yet to be fully healed."

"No, master. It is of my choice that the scar has remained, so it may fuel my rage towards the insolent fool who inflicted it."

"This 'insolent fool' as you call her has demonstrated she is capable of defeating you in combat, apprentice," replied the Sith Lord, his words earning him a scowl from the Dathomirian, which he pointedly ignored. "What have you to report about these interlopers?"

Once she had reeled her emotions back once more, Ventress rose from the ground and withdrew a holo-projector from her waist, which she promptly activated to reveal crude holograms of her assailants, recreated from her own encounter with them. "They are a… Confusing group. They utilized slugthrowers and physical melee weapons, and carried very primitive-looking armor. But they also possessed technology I've never seen or heard of before."

"Describe it then, apprentice."

"One of them could project perfectly accurate holograms, independent from the real one's movements. Their leader wielded energy weapons unlike any blaster weapon, and seemed capable of… Disappearing."

The uncertainty in Ventress' final word drew Dooku's attention the most, the Sith Lord leaning forward in his chair as his gaze bore into the assassin below. "You say they possess personal cloaking technology?" he asked cautiously, his mind awhirl already with the potential such a piece of technology could provide his troops. Yet to his surprise, Ventress' response was to shake her head in denial.

"No, master. Even cloaking would have allowed me to sense accurately where she would attack from," explained the assassin, her hand tightly curling into a fist as the memory of her defeat played back inside her head. "Whatever that woman did, it completely shadowed her presence to my senses… As if—"

"As if they were removed from the world."

The rasping mechanical voice, though known and familiar, still made Ventress shoot up in alarm and reach for the lightsabers upon her waist. Dooku, however, remained calm, collected and impassive as his other apprentice strode into his chambers, his full-body cloak billowing slightly with every step. "Welcome, General Grievous," greeted the Sith as the cyborg moved to stand beside Ventress and gave his superior a small bow of his head. "I assume you fought against these mysterious soldiers as well?"

"Not the same group, but certainly related to them," replied Grievous, who just like Ventress withdrew a holo-projector from his body and activated it. His, however, possessed far more detailed images of the unknowns, and rather than being of organic beings was instead of several droid-like figures, unlike any model any of the present had ever seen. "They displayed similar technology as the one that defeated your apprentice, along with other such abilities: portable energy shields, weapons that can manipulate gravity in localized points… And some manner of temporal manipulation."

Both Ventress and Dooku's eyes widened to the size of plates at those words, with the count rising from his seat very slowly as he moved his gaze between the holographic images and the cyborg holding them. "What do you mean, general?" asked the Sith cautiously.

"When I battled one of these droids, I succeeded in pinning down one of them. But before I could destroy the machine, it somehow traveled back through time until it stood beside Skywalker once more, as if it had yet to begin its attack." With his piece spoken, Grievous deactivated the hologram and returned the projector to within his cloak. "It still remained damaged, but nevertheless it became intangible throughout the process."

"Master, if acquire this technology…" spoke Ventress in a tone laced with greed and desire. "We cannot let the Jedi gain such an advantage! Something like this would allow us to crush the Republic and win this war easily!"

"Do not overstep your place, apprentice," quickly cut in Dooku, who gave Ventress a serious look and made the Dathomirian Sith flinch. "The fact remains that these interlopers are now in the hands of the Republic. As such, any following actions against them must be planned with the utmost caution." As he spoke, Dooku walked around his table and stepped down the stairs until he stood in front of both of his underlings, his hands held behind his back. "Only through cunning and careful planning shall we attain our prize, and with it our victory over the Republic."

"… Of course, master."

"General Grievous, what is the status of the Kamino offensive?"

"The final preparations are being made on the last ships, and they'll soon be ready to launch," replied the cyborg. "Once we are in position, the commando units will be deployed against the Republic's listening outpost and perform the take over."

"Excellent. Ventress, you are to infiltrate Kamino and make preparations for the ground invasion. Once we take over the planet and destroy the Republic's cloning facilities, we shall deal an irreparable blow to their war machine. And if these interlopers are to interfere… Then they shall be dealt with. Now go."

And with equal bows, both Grievous and Ventress left the room, leaving Dooku alone with the many guard droids that had yet to move an inch from their posts. With his orders given, Dooku returned to his throne, but rather than sitting upon it the count chose instead to stare out of the massive glass window behind him and into the beautiful vista of Serenno's lands that surrounded his home.

Yes, all would move in accordance to their plan… All he had to do was wait. Soon, his master would bring news regarding these newcomers, and with that in hands they would ready themselves for this new war to come.

No matter what variable… The Sith would be victorious.

-O-

Two days later…

CORUSCANT – SENATE BUILDING, EN ROUTE TO THE GREAT CONVOCATION CHAMBER

"Being back in the dress blues is weird…"

"Showing up to the galactic senate dressed in combat fatigues isn't conductive of a leader, Elyse."

"And neither is wearing a mask, but you don't see me talking trash to you Azrael, so quit while you're ahead."

"Of course, commander, how presumptuous of me."

Their casual ribbing did not distract either Elyse or Azrael from seeking their destination, both commander and captain pacing calmly through the halls of the Senate building as they followed the digital marker and trail projected onto Elyse's field of view and Azrael's mask's heads-up display. As they walked, both Militia leaders let their gaze flow from the marble-like floor of the hallways to the vista outside of the hundreds, if not thousands of buildings and vehicles dotting the horizon… And of course, to the many, many aliens occupying the hallways.

Granted, both were professionals and veterans of a war that had brought them to many exotic locations and through strange situations, so they made sure to keep their composure the entire way through. And yet, the sight of so many truly different people was enough to make the reality of things sink in.

Elyse had had the privilege of seeing a few aliens that made up the Jedi, such as Ahsoka, Shaak Tii or Plo Koon. But here, in the Senate, she saw how unique many races could truly look. There, a group of short, child-sized aliens walked with their elongated arms and held objects with their feet. Here, two aliens with goat-like features and three eyes watched them pass wearily, whispering things that neither Elyse or Azrael cared to pry for. Further down the hall a few aliens with elongated, curved heads topped with T-shaped eyes spoke animatedly with one another in a bass-like tone, and further back the two Militia representatives still felt the curious eyes of the small brown aliens with pot-bellied bodies that pointed long fingers and let out child-like coos of wonder.

And indeed, somehow, both Elyse and Azrael still stood out amidst them all. And with a good reason.

Azrael was, as always, impeccably dressed in his long red coat with gold-embroidered regalia, chief of which was the eagle-like design displayed proudly on his chest. Alongside it were the black cloak draped over the right side of his body and kept in place by a golden shoulder guard, a black belt with a silver buckle, red formal pants and silver-lined black leather boots. And of course, his ever-present white mask covering his face, its red glass eyes hiding his natural blue eyes from the world.

Elyse, however, matched him almost blow-to-blow with her own uniform: a high-collared black officer's coat with golden markings and details throughout it, her commander's insignia shining against the lighting of the hallway and armored metal shoulder plates. Similarly colored black pants surrounded by an equally black coattail that covered her lower half, held in place by a beautifully decorated black-and-gold belt, the buckle shaped like the skull of a Prowler. Elyse's hands were covered by heavy red-and-black gloves, a far cry from the usual thinner officer-like ones, and on her feet, she wore heavy boots tipped and lined with metal on the soles. Finally, to complete the entire ensemble, a peaked officer cap with the insignia of the 5th Fleet sat atop her head, her black-and-white hair cascading down from beneath it to sit comfortably on her shoulders.

Truly, the Core Worlds were nothing if ostentatious, even when designing their military's uniforms.

And to ease their mind, both carried Smart Pistol Mark 6s in concealed holsters on their chest. After all, Senate Guard or not, it always paid to be prepared.

"I both am thankful and regret the fact I didn't toss this thing onto an incinerator," grumbled Elyse low, the somehow booming clicking of the metal in her boots echoing with every step. "Remind me to do it when we get back."

"Unfortunately, I cannot do that, commander," replied Azrael in an almost mirthful tone as he cast a side glance to his superior. "It will most likely see much use in the future, so I would suggest you keep it very much intact."

"You were supposed to side with me on this, Azrael."

"I am. But I also realize the compromises we shall need to make. So please, bear with it."

"For fuck's sake…"

Their walk, thankfully, was an uneventful as it could be for the two Milky Way natives, and soon they found their hosts waiting in front of the door that was their destination. The first was Padmé Amidala, once more dressed in her embroidered royal purple dress and hair held up by a golden hair ornament. The man beside her, however, was a far more recent acquaintance to the Militia.

Dressed in a pullover-like suit (something that Elyse had more than once almost let slip) with a black coat over it, his beard trimmed to a minimalist goatee and mustache, and a disarming smile on his face, senator Bail Prestor Organa watched the two Militia representatives walk towards them before giving a small bow in welcome. "Commander Elyse, captain Durandal. It is a pleasure to see you both once again."

"Likewise, senator," replied Elyse, both her and Azrael returning the gesture before turning to the young woman standing beside Bail. "Thank you for providing this opportunity, senator Amidala."

"Do not worry about it, commander," replied Padmé calmly, her hands resting atop one another in front of her body. "If it allows you and your people to better acclimate to the galaxy, then we will do all we can to help."

"An optimistic sentiment to hold, senator," said Azrael in return, right as he turned his head to stare at another group of aliens that had just passed and were giving the two Militia members a suspicious look. "Let us hope it holds true in the face of politics, no?"

Seeing the doubt in Amidala's eyes, Bail quickly took a step forward and placed a hand on her shoulder before turning his attention back to Azrael. "Do not worry, captain. You all put your trust in the Republic, and we will not see it wasted."

With their words spoken, the group's attention was quickly drawn to the sound of a chime echoing through the hallway, and which apparently was a signal for all the nearby aliens to move through the doors they stood near of. Seeing Padmé's nod, Elyse and Azrael quickly followed her through the archway, and once again were met with a surprising, breathtaking sight.

The Great Convocation Chamber truly lived up to its name, being an oval pit massive enough to comfortably allow a Pilot wargame match to take place. Lining the walls were hundreds of circular platforms, just big enough for a small group such as theirs to fit and with four seats around it and beside a podium-like pedestal at the front. And in the middle of it all stood a tall spire with an egg-like podium upon it, and which inside were three figures. Two were unknown to Elyse and Azrael, but the third was quite obvious: Chancellor Palpatine, wearing far more regal robes than he had before in any of their meetings, and with a commanding air surrounding him that dwarfed anything he had shown before during their meetings.

"Senators, thank you for your presence," spoke the chancellor, waving his hands and motioning to the entire room around him. "I understand that this day has been tiring to many, both with this horrid war and our duties as representatives of this hallowed Republic. However, it is with great personal joy that I bring to you an announcement that will surely allow us to be one step closer to the end of this conflict. As many of you are aware, Coruscant has seen the arrival of a large military fleet upon our orbit, a sight that I understand must be troubling to many. I would like to assuage your worries, however, with the following declaration… It was I that allowed the arrival of such a fleet over our world."

As expected, his words were met with an uproar. A cacophony of voices erupted amidst the hall, shouts and yells mixing together into a white noise that threatened to deafen all inside. However, just as quickly as it started, it ended, all with a shout for silence from one of the chancellor's aides and a wave of Palpatine's hand. And as if nothing had happened, the man continued speaking, his voice never wavering in its tone.

"While such concern is of course understandable, I assure you all that this arrival is not an omen of disaster. On the contrary, it is one of good fortune. For today, the Republic has gained another ally in its battle against the Trade Federation and its droid armies."

"The floor is yours, commander. Make us proud," whispered Azrael into Elyse's ear, who let out a long sigh and removed her officer's cap from her head as she moved to stand at the podium of her platform.

"Esteemed senators, speaking on behalf of her people, the floor is now given to the leader of the Republic's newest ally, the Frontier Militia's 5th Fleet."

The moment Palpatine's words ended, the platform Elyse and her companions occupied unlatched from the wall and floated forward slowly until it stopped just short of Palpatine's own podium. And from the corner of her eyes, the Pilot noticed the way the chancellor glanced at her in eager expectation.

"Senators of the Republic, greetings. I am Commander Elyse, leader of the 5th Fleet of the Frontier's Militia of Free Planets," she began, her eyes remaining focused forward and her expression placid. "I have come here, at the behest of Chancellor Sheev Palpatine and senators Padmé Amidala and Bail Organa, to formally introduce both myself and the people under my command to the galactic theater."

"And whose government do you represent!?" suddenly called out aloud another voice, and which Elyse quickly noted to belong to a strange slug-like alien wearing clothes akin to a bishop's, and who had also moved his platform to hover amidst the chamber alongside her own. And it was with great disgust that Amidala realized that the speaker was Lott Dod, of the Trade Federation. "You speak of titles and organizations, and yet none of them are known to any senator in this hall!"

"The Senate does not recognize the Trade Federation's representative—"

Yet to the surprise of all present, lest of which Palpatine himself, Elyse simply turned her head towards the chancellor and raised her hand, a clear request to wait, even if a polite one. Around her, both Bail and Padmé gasped, though Azrael's response was to simply snicker in amusement. After his moment of silence passed, Palpatine recomposed himself and motioned towards Elyse, who returned the gesture with a nod before refocusing her attention on the alien. "We indeed do not represent any organization or government. We are an independent force, only recently introduced to the galactic community."

Her voice was calm, her words even and unfaltering. Even under the scrutinizing gaze of hundreds of people, Elyse did not falter.

Faltering meant defeat. Defeat meant failure. Before, failure was met with punishment.

Here, failure was inadmissible. It was no longer her own suffering in the line. It was that of the people under her command. And they did not deserve this.

Her newest opponent, however, showed no such resolve. Instead, the alien made a sound akin to a scoff before waving his hand dismissively in the air. "'Recently introduced', you say," he repeated in an almost mocking tone, before placing both hands on the edge of his platform as he leaned forward. "You speak as if you've never encountered civilized space before! What sort of claim are you trying to make?"

This was it. Go time.

The moment that would define her future. Their future.

She could not… Would not fail.

"That is indeed correct, senator. I, and by extension every member of my fleet, has never encountered what you call civilized space." She paused after those words, allowing the moment of muttering and gasping from the senators to pass, before Palpatine once more raised his hand and the sounds died down. "Were I to look around this chamber, and were it asked of me, I would not be able to name any of the present senators. Nor their race, their planets, or their systems. I would not be able to tell you what the currency is, what part of space we reside on, or even the name of the star that shines above us at this very moment. All I can recognize in this room, are the people behind me, the chancellor standing amidst us, and a few select members of this senate… And that is because they are the same as me. Because they are human."

And with another long intake of air, Elyse turned her gaze to Palpatine, her silver electronic eyes matching his natural blue ones.

"And because that is the only sentient race we have ever encountered… Because I, and every soul aboard the vessels of the 5th Fleet, do not hail from his galaxy."

There was a moment of silence following her words, that of shock and surprise.

It was quickly ended by the explosion of voices that rivaled the earlier one, as if a literal bomb had been detonated inside the chamber. A thousand voices, all melded together into a roar that threatened to shake the walls of the chamber apart, and all of them directed at Elyse. And while she could not hear all, she certainly could hear some. And they all spoke the same.

"LIAR!"

"DECEIVER!"

"WHAT FOOLS DO YOU TAKE US FOR?!"

"WHAT IS THIS GAME YOU PLAY?!"

"END THIS FARCE AT ONCE!"

"REMOVE HER, NOW!"

And not even the chancellor nor his aides could contain their anger, even as they shouted for order, for decorum, for silence. The mentality of the mob could not be controlled, especially not that of half a galaxy.

It was too much for Amidala to bear, however. The Naboo senator made to rise from her seat to try and interrupt this… Only to be stopped when a hand took hold of her wrist, and which a quick turn of the head revealed to belong to Azrael, who simply gave her a smile and a shake of the head, something that utterly perplexed Padmé… Until she turned her gaze back to Elyse.

And there she stood. Unmoving, uncaring. Her face remained calm, her eyes affixed forward and her posture fully controlled. The world brought its anger, its impatience and its decrying to bear against her, but the Militia commander did not break. She was a monolith, black and gold, standing for all the people who deposited their hopes and future upon her, the responsibility of an entire people.

"Worry not for the commander," spoke Azrael softly, his voice somehow carrying through the echoing of the Senate's cries. "She will never fall to this. She is our goddess of victory, after all."

And as if hearing these same words, the voices began to die out. Shouts became hoarse, insults and jeers trickled into nothingness, and even the rage seemed to melt away from the faces of the senators.

And when silence returned, so did Elyse's voice, as strong and as certain as before.

"I won't blame you for your reactions," she began anew, this time allowing her gaze to move freely around the room and take sort of all the different beings that surrounded her. "It is an unbelievable truth indeed, one that for all intents could be taken as a factitious lie, as a deceit that one would use to earn pity or favors they are undeserving of. Had I stood in the place of any of you weeks ago, I would have joined in your cries…"

"But that is not why I am here. I am here as a commander, as the leader of a fleet once forty-two strong, now reduced to twenty-four vessels. I am here as the representative that with one voice speaks for one hundred thousand, seven hundred and forty-three lives, who years ago had their safety and well-being trust onto me. It was my duty to allow them to return home, to see their families, regain their lives, to make use of a peace they've long earned… And I've failed."

It was those words that finally made Elyse lower her gaze away from the Senate and onto the podium in front of her, her reflection clearly seen on the polished surface. And in that singular moment, the galaxy bore witness to the weight this woman carried. The overwhelming, herculean task placed upon her shoulders for the last forty years.

And even then, not for a single moment did her shoulders give away.

"This was not the fate I saw to myself. At all times, the only fate I deigned worthy of me was to die in the battlefield, bleeding and injured, forgotten in the chaos of war and erased by the flames of conflict. Retribution and atonement, in return for allowing all of these people to walk away safely from a war they never should have suffered. The mission we undertook that caused us to arrive in this galaxy was to end with our full victory, elevated by the tens of thousands of corpses I piled beneath our feet in Nibelungen… And yet our victory still was marred. I cannot bring these men back to the lives they belonged to, I cannot offer comfort to their families, I cannot grant my fleet the sight of their home..."

Yet a second after her words trailed away, Elyse raised her head once more. And there was fire burning within her eyes, a flame so grand it would have banished away the darkness of space itself.

"But I cannot die. I will not die. Because my duty now is to build a new home for these men and women, to bring them to a new land that we can call ours, and to let their future be free of conflict. When I… When all of us arrived in this galaxy, it was my actions that caused my fleet to be thrust into this war. A war that we would have never joined were it any other circumstance. It was my responsibility, and I will shoulder it." And as she returned her gaze to Palpatine, Elyse swore that she no longer felt alone. At that moment, something else stood beside her.

It was the spirits of her subordinates, those gone and those remaining, all of them giving her strength. Their memories, their wishes, their desires, their very souls.

"I don't care what it was that sent us all here: a cosmic fluke, a whim of fate, a fucking act of God… Right now, these things don't matter. What matters, is that the Republic and the Jedi have offered me a way forward. And I will walk upon it, out of my own decision, even if I must pave the way with the bodies and blood of those that stand in my way. I will walk it, until all of us finally have a new home to call our own… Even if I finally reach it by filling my own grave."

"And so, to all representatives of this Galactic Senate… I, Commander Elyse of the Sentinel Corps, formally declare our alignment with the Galactic Republic through contract and oath, until this war is over… And until the peace I promised my fleet can finally be rewarded to them."

In the face of her words, no senator dared speak. They simply stood, mystified and agape at the immobile woman standing amidst them all.

That is when it began. Faint, almost forgetful, but nevertheless there. From behind Elyse, Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala began clapping.

Moments later, the same sound echoed across the room, coming from hundreds of other senators.

And unseen by all, the tears she had so long abandoned in a galaxy far, far away began streaming from Elyse's eyes and onto the floor.

An hour later, in the year nine-hundred and seventy-eight after the Ruusan Reformation, the Republic-Sentinel Contract was signed between the Galactic Republic Senate and the Sentinel Corps, officializing the hiring of the 5th Fleet as an auxiliary mercenary force to the Republic until the end of the Clone Wars.

In that day, the course of the war was forever changed.

-O-

Ten hours later…

CORUSCANT – HIGH ORBIT ABOVE CENTAX-3, BRIDGE OF THE MCS AVALANCHE

Long after the celebrations of the contract signing had finished, and with Elyse once more returned to the fleet, the commander began giving the orders for something they should have long done, but did not yet have the peace to perform… Until now.

This was the situation the 5th Fleet now found itself upon, with all twenty-four of its vessels arranged in a wide pattern of three concentric circles, with the Avalanche occupying the middle.

"Are preparations ready, Shatterglass?"

"Yes, commander."

"Good. Then let us proceed."

A somber mood pervaded the bridge of the Militia's dreadnought, all of the present crew members looking out the view ports as they prepared themselves for what was to happen. And yet, a sense of acceptance also filled their hearts, something that served to harden their resolve and made them ready for whatever the future reserved for them, and all the others aboard the fleet.

But now was not the time for those thoughts. Now, they had one final duty to perform.

One last act, in the name of the home they had left behind.

"Begin primary start-up sequence, ready the railgun to fire," called out Elyse, her gaze never faltering from staring at the eternal abyss beyond. Without a word, Shatterglass complied, and down below in the hull she saw the massive weapon rise from within the armor plate, the tuning fork-shaped cannon pointing upwards to the many stars beyond itself.

However, the railgun did not have a standard round loaded onto it. There was no tungsten rod, no Reaction warhead or branthium-charged ordinance currently occupying the weapon's firing chamber. Instead, something far more unique had been readied and loaded.

At thirty meters long, six meters wide and four meters thick, the black monolith forged out of pure tritanium would have been enough to blast a hole through most unshielded armors of lighter warships. But this was not to be its duty.

"All ships, stand-by for salvo."

"All ships report ready, commander. Awaiting firing command."

Today, it served a far greater purpose.

"All ships… Fire."

At her command, the main guns of every ship other than the Avalanche fired into the void of space, the specially prepared shells flying for a preset distance until their on-board processors registered them passing the marked threshold before detonating. In that moment, the chemicals loaded onto the shells were allowed to mix and react.

And in the black eternity of space, for a brief moment, massive silver plumes bloomed into existence, their brightness banishing away the darkness for the briefest moments and spreading motes of light into a spectacle fitting for the birth of a new star.

"All hands, salute."

Only then was the path clear for the monolith's travel.

"Railgun… Fire."

Had the weapon been fired in-atmosphere, the resulting shockwave and sonic boom would have been enough to shatter windows up to a radius of six hundred meters, and cause hearing damage to any living being near its position. Up in space, however, the only sign of it firing was the momentary flash of its coils, and the rumbling that traveled along the armor plating of the Avalanche.

And it was in this silence that the members of the 5th Fleet watched as the monolith was launched into space, every single one of them holding their hand against their forehead in picture-perfect salutes, until finally its reflective ebon body disappeared from view amidst the unending blackness of space.

If any were to find the monolith in its eternal travels, they would find nothing of value upon it. No jewels, no rare materials, no secret technologies or even coordinates to secret stashes of treasures. Instead, all that was inscribed it was text.

Specifically, names.

Carefully listed, measured and grafted through dozens of laser cutters, the monolith had etched in its entirety the names of every single Militia member of the 5th Fleet that had died upon Nibelungen. Tens of thousands of names, all of them catalogued and marked.

And right atop the monolith, upon one of its smaller faces, the largest carving made: the Militia's insignia, perfectly recreated down to the smallest detail… And one simple line of text. The single addition made to the emblem by the 5th Fleet.

FOREVER LIVING, IN MEMORY AND DEED

~O~

This sure took a while to finish…

Well, at least it's a biggie. And I didn't finish it at 3am, so bonus there.

Cutting the preambles and bullshit, let's say this out of the gate:

Next chapter we're mucking the timeline further and will cover the events of "Rookies". Stay tuned~

And on external next things, next in line would be the next chapter of Special Delivery… And depending on the mood, it might still be.

But looking at my WIPs left in my PC, I have something important I should have finished a loooooooooong time ago, so I might work on that… But only if my mood holds. Otherwise, it's Courier time.