Star Wars: Odyssey of the Infinity

by IX404

During a routine safety test, the Slipstream Space Drive of the Infinity malfunctions, catapulting them into unknown space. Little do Lasky and the members of the Infinity know is that they will soon change the fate of a far away galaxy.

7. Greetings At Coruscant

Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo/Star Wars crossover redux.

Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support. I deeply appreciate it.

Just so you know, I'll be taking something of a break next week to celebrate my birthday, as well as Thanksgiving. I'll be posting a short story next Friday that will fill in some of the plot holes that the previous chapters created.

As always, leave a review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Star Wars franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Lucasfilms, 20th Century Fox, Disney Films, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers, producers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to its original composers and/or artists.

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Coruscant

Imperial Palace

April 18th, 0BBY, 3PM (November 2nd, 2558, 3PM)

The air inside of the Pinnacle Room was rife with tension as the Imperial Council held one of the most important meetings in its entire existence. Inside one of the seats, the Emperor watched with stoic silence as the other Imperial Councilors waited patiently for another member of the meeting to arrive. To his right, Vader stood silently nearby, keeping an eye on things.

Normally, such a meeting would not be going on, as the Emperor usually made his will clear. The appearance of the Star Dreadnought, combined with what had happened at Scarif, had caused some cracks to form in the Imperial Council, cracks that the Emperor had not foreseen. As such, he had decided to host this meeting in order to answer any questions and to make sure that such cracks would not threaten the stability of the Empire.

With that in mind, he had also called another person to the Imperial Council meeting. When the doors opened, Leia Organa walked into the room, with a pair of Royal Guards escorting her. She could feel the tension in the room as everyone laid eyes on her. Once she had fully entered, Palpatine said, "This meeting is now in session. Senator Leia Organa, it is well known that you were at the Battle of Scarif due to your hyperdrive malfunctioning. As you saw the entire battle, would you kindly explain to us what happened."

Leia steeled herself. She needed to keep her composure, otherwise terrible things would happen. "Yes, my Emperor," she said. "The battle erupted shortly after we docked to one of the ships in the Rebel Fleet, as they were the only ones nearby that could repair our hyperdrive. During this time, though, we saw the spatial anomaly that the Infinity came out of erupt into existence. When it exited, it was traveling at such speed that it smashed into a Star Destroyer and ripped it apart.

"I was about to attempt to make contact when the Imperials began firing on the Infinity in clear violation of first contact protocols. During this time, I overheard a transmission between UEG Envoy Melody Azikiwe and Admiral Gorin. Envoy Melody attempted to explain to Admiral Gorin that what happened was an accident, but Gorin not only refused to listen to her, he also mistakenly believed that the Infinity was reinforcements for the Rebel Fleet. This forced Captain Thomas Lasky, the CO of the ship, to return fire and destroy the Imperial forces present.

"His ship also destroyed the Shield Gate that the Imperial garrison had closed during the battle. After that, they landed ground forces. I don't know what they did then, but I do know that completed whatever objectives they had down there, as they all returned just before the Death Star's arrival. I also decided to come aboard their ship to learn more about them, while defusing any war that might happen."

The Emperor was silent as he considered these words. "I see," he said. "Did you learn anything about the Infinity's capabilities?"

"No," Leia half-lied. "Captain Lasky was not willing to share that information with me. We did speak at length, though, and I can assure you that he wants peace." Pulling out a small data-disk, she said, "I also received a recording of the Infintiy engaging the Imperial garrison in self-defense. May I?"

"Of course," the Emperor said. Stepping forwards, Leia inserted the data disk into the holo-projector in the center of the room. Almost instantly, the recording of the Battle of Scarif began. All of them watched the Infinity intently, from when it rammed one of the Star Destroyers, to when the garrison fired on it, all the way to when the Infinity destroyed the Shield Gate. A few Imperial Councilors paled when they saw the Infinity smashing through that Star Destroyer like it was a piece of flimsy, though everyone paled when they saw the Infinity use its main gun to literally tear the Shield Gate apart.

When the recording ended, Palpatine was in deep thought. "Interesting," he finally said at length. "You have done well, Senator Leia Organa. You may go now." Leia proceeded out of the room, with the lift that had taken her to the Pinnacle Room leaving with her. Once she was gone, he said, "Most interesting. it would appear that Leia was telling the truth."

"Indeed," Vader said.

"I'm not certain that inviting the Star Dreadnought known as the Infinity here was such a wise idea," Kren Blista-Vanee, one of the Imperial Councilors, said. "For all we know, this could be an excuse for them to attack us."

"I doubt that they would go that far, Councilor Blista-Vanee," Ars Dangor, another of the Imperial Councilors, reassured him. "From everything that we have seen thus far, Captain Lasky has proven to be quite the reasonable individual. We know that he did not fire on the Imperials first, and that it was the Imperial Navy, in its typical display of poor judgment, that fired on his ship first. We must also remember that the Infinity arrived here by accident. They could very well be separated from home, and more vulnerable than before."

"I must admit, that is true," Kren admitted. "I'm just not sure why we invited the Infinity here."

"I know why, and we all know why," said another Imperial Councilor. That Imperial Councilor was one Sate Pestage. A cruel man with a hatchet face, dark brown eyes and a head that was devoid of any hair, Pestage was one of the more dangerous members of the Imperial Council. As Grand Vizier, he was the Emperor's top advisor, and he usually chose to rule through quiet wisdom. Whenever he spoke, everyone listened.

That was very much the case here, as everyone in the Imperial Councilor fell silent and listened to him. "By inviting Captain Lasky to come to Coruscant, we will have the best chance of gathering the information that we need to know. In addition, to risk the UNSCs wrath now would be to cause a terrible amount of destruction. We know little of the UNSCs capabilities. Besides, our goal is not to wage war; our goal is to ensure that the peace that we have created lasts."

It was then that the Emperor spoke. "Quite so," he said to the others. "Pestage, as usual, has brought up an excellent point. By inviting Captain Lasky to come to Coruscant, I intend to avert a war that we do not need. I also intend to reward Senator Leia Organa quite handsomely for preventing a war." Looking at another Imperial Councilor, he said, "Sim Aloo, how would you suggest that we reward Leia?"

It was a rhetorical question, as Sim Aloo knew the answer already. Still, he was one of the Emperor's most trusted advisors, making him more than willing to provide his answer. "I suggest that we reward Senator Leia Organa by making her an Ambassador of the Empire, while providing her a place to live here on Coruscant, along with her own personal guard of Stormtrooper. She will be most useful in maintaining order with the UNSC and UEG. Having a member of the Imperial Navy go with her will also help ensure that peace is maintained. Having a member of Imperial Intelligence covertly accompany her will also allow us to gather information on the UEG as well."

The Emperor smiled slightly. Sim Aloo had rightfully guessed what he had intended to do. "Agreed," he said. "She will be a most useful individual in preserving the peace between our Empire and the United Earth Government. You are also correct in that having a member of Imperial Intelligence on her ship to spy on the UEG will also prove to be useful.

"As for Captain Lasky, I fully intend to welcome him into this galaxy. At nightfall, I will be hosting a banquet for everyone that was involved with keeping the peace. While I have no illusions that Lasky and the others will partake in the fine dining, such a banquet will also allow us to show the wealth of the Empire in a small way."

"That it will," Pestage agreed. "Given that they might be staying here for some time, there will be ample opportunity to impress him. Still, I wonder why you would put someone that disagrees with your policies into such a position."

"It will be my way of keeping an eye on her," Palpatine said. "Not only will it distance her form any Rebels that she might encounter, it will also allow me to find out more about the UEG."

Pestage nodded. "Ah, I see. A very wise decision on your part."

"Quite so," Palpatine agreed. "Any other concerns?" When none presented themselves, he said, "Very well. This meeting of the Imperial Council is adjourned."

. . .

Four hours later, high in orbit over Coruscant, Captain Jorgus of the ISD Imperator was quietly pacing on the bridge of his Star Destroyer. Nearby, his crew worked silently at their stations, while his XO, Gevis Zenard, waited patiently nearby. Outside, the ships and freighters of the galaxy continued by his ship, unconcerned about events that were happening in the wider galaxy.

Jorgus, though, couldn't quite get rid of the nervous anticipation that was building up inside of his chest, even as he paced back and forth. Gevis, who was watching his Captain, could understand why: it wasn't everyday that one had a face-to-face encounter with a Star Dreadnought. While he'd seen the Mandator-II class of Star Dreadnought before, he knew that the Infinity was something else entirely. "Captain, are you all right?" he asked.

"No, but thanks for asking," Jorgus replied. "I'm just very nervous is all. I've never encountered a Star Dreadnought like the Infinity before, which means I have little idea of what the Infinity is capable of unleashing. For all we know, we could be silently waiting for our doom."

"I know the feeling," Gevis agreed. "Still, I wouldn't be nervous about that. We know from the HoloNet transmission that the Captain of the Infinity does not want to wage war against the Empire. In fact, we know for certain that he's coming here to try to keep the peace. There is nothing wrong with that, if you ask me."

Jorgus stopped his pacing. He was about to reply when the Sensors Officer said, "Sir, we have a spatial anomaly forming roughly twenty kilometers from our position. I think it might be the Infinity."

"Come about towards the anomaly and bring us closer," Jorgus ordered. As the crew worked to carry out the order, he said, "Ready to see the Infinity, Gevis?"

"Certainly," Gevis replied.

. . .

The Infinity was, once more, filled with tension as they approached the due date for their exit from Slipstream Space. On the bridge, Lasky waited patiently in his dress uniform for Lieutenant Jet to announce their exit from Slipstream Space. Nearby, Melody Azikiwe was also dressed in her formal wear. "This is it, I guess," she said. "We're about to make formal contact with the faction that fired on us at Scarif."

"I guess," Lasky agreed. "However, I hope that it ends more peacefully this time, instead of having turbolaser bolts being hurled at us. The last time that happened, we ended up making our mark on the galaxy."

"Very true," Melody admitted. "I just wish that the vaccinations were ready by now. Why does it take so long?"

"Good question," Lasky said. "I recall talking to Dr. Edward James, one of the microbiologists and pathologists at the Science Deck. According to him, we'll need around two months before we can vaccinate our troops and ourselves. He said that it was a big improvement over the two years that's normally needed for vaccinations to be developed in UNSC territory. We're taking a big risk by having the development move that fast."

"I understand," Melody conceded. "I just wish that we didn't have to wear those bothersome masks all the time. Still, that's the price one pays when they end up in another galaxy. Wouldn't want to cause an outbreak of some alien disease now, wouldn't we."

Lasky nodded in agreement. Having studied up on history, he was well aware of what happened when two isolated societies interacted with each other. It's how the Aztecs were weakened to the point where the Spaniards could defeat them, he thought. The Aztecs had no defense against smallpox, which resulted in most of them getting sick and dying. I'd rather not have the same happen here.

His thoughts were interrupted when Lieutenant Jet said, "Captain, we're about to exit Slipstream Space."

"Understood," Lasky said. "Gabriela? Any word from Leia?"

"Yes," Gabriela replied. "She's currently in a meeting with the Imperial Council, though she was able to contact us and let us know that we've been expected. Quite nifty to be able to speak with her. Since we reverse-engineered the HoloCOM system that the galaxy uses and integrated it into our own COM system, things have really gone well."

"That they have," Lasky agreed. It's also a good thing that Jordan included the data for that inside of the log buoy, he thought, recalling the day when Jordan had launched the two modified probes off on their journey. Now all we have to do is hold out long enough for the UNSC to gather a task force and send it our way. "Begin Slipspace exit."

"Acknowledged," Gabriela replied. "Waiting for your go, Lieutenant Jet."

"Understood," Lieutenant Jet replied. "Beginning Slipspace exit in five… four… three… two… one… now." Within seconds, a rupture into normal space-time formed, with the Infinity exiting with the grace of a fish swimming in the sea. Once the ship had exited, the rupture closed, emitting radiation as the quantum mechanical equivalent of a shrug.

The moment they exited, Lasky got a good look at the planet that they had arrived at. To his amazement, the entire planet seemed to be glowing, with large geometric patterns being visible even at the distance they were at. On top of that, he could see hundreds, if not thousands, of starships flying from and to the planet, with the designs so unique and varied that they might as well have been snowflakes on a mountain.

What also had his attention were the number of military installations that were present. Up ahead, he could see a large station that was shaped like a hexagon that had small cutouts on the sides. A tower-like structure was on the top, and he could see modules extending beneath the station, along with an antenna. Other stations of the same design were nearby, with the thought occurring to Lasky that these stations likely fulfilled the same function as an ODP: planetary defense. A low whistle escaped from his lips.

"Wow," Melody whispered. "Lasky, is it just me, or is the entire planet a sprawling megalopolis?"

"Looks like it," Lasky noted. "Cortana? Gabriela?"

"Scanning," Cortana replied. "Captain, Melody's guess is correct. I just accessed the HoloNet using our HoloCOM suite. From what I can tell, every square meter of Coruscant is an ecumenopolis, which is a city that covers the entire planet. There's no oceans, not even a forest; just sprawling buildings as far as the eye can see."

"How do they get enough oxygen for the entire populace?" Lieutenant Ryder asked. "Don't tell me they import their own oxygen. Do they?"

"No," Cortana replied. "The planet has multiple factories that are designed to continually pump oxygen into the atmosphere. Those same factories also clean out any pollution that's in the air, which explains why the air is so clean, according to a few surveys."

"What's got my attention are the stations that are nearby," Lasky said. "Cortana, any idea on what those are?"

"Yep," Cortana replied. "Those are the Golan-II Space Defense Platforms. As the name implies, they're designed to protect the planet from an invasion by hostile forces. I estimate that there are thousands of these in orbit around Coruscant, likely even the same number of ODPs that keep Earth safe."

A slightly shiver ran down Lasky's back. It was clear that, in a potential war, Coruscant would be well protected. The only danger that would come was if an invading faction pulled the same tactical maneuver the Covenant did when they invaded Earth. If things go sour, we might have to consider an invasion of Coruscant in the future.

At that moment, Gabriela said, "Captain, I'm reading a pair of Star Destroyers heading towards us. My guess is that they're our escorts until we're finished with whatever diplomatic function that we've been invited to."

"My thoughts exactly," Lasky said.

"Captain," Lieutenant Jespersen said. "We've got an incoming HoloCOM transmission."

"Put it through," Lasky ordered.

There was a very faint whine as the transmission came in. Moments later, a crisp male voice said, "Unidentified ship, this is Captain Jorgus of the ISD Imperator. Identify yourself."

Making sure his throat was clear, Lasky said, "ISD Imperator, this is Captain Lasky of the UNSC Infinity. We are here to attend the diplomatic function that we were invited to by your sovereign. Transmitting clearance codes." Even as he said those words, Gabriela quickly transmitted the clearance codes.

There was a brief moment of silence, then Jorgus said, "Understood, Infinity. We have just verified your codes. I would like to apologize for this necessary, if tiresome, bit of bureaucracy. The Imperial Navy was adamant that you follow procedure."

"No need to apologize," Lasky reassured Jorgus. "You're just doing your job. I can fully understand that. Is there anything else we need to hear?"

"Yes," Jorgus replied. "Given the size of your ship, the Infinity must remain in orbit for the duration of your stay. Ships that exceed a kilometer in size have difficulty operating in atmosphere. Entering atmosphere would pose a hazard to the safety of the citizens of the planet."

"Understandable," Lasky said. "The Infinity will remain in orbit. We'll be coming down in a shuttle."

"Understood," Jorgus said. "Once you depart on your shuttle, a flight of TIE Interceptors will escort you to the Imperial Palace, where the diplomatic function is being held. You are free to bring any bodyguards with you if you need it necessary. Beyond that, enjoy your stay at Coruscant. Captain Jorgus out"

"You too," Lasky agreed. "Captain Lasky, out."

"What now, Captain?" Melody asked.

"Well," Lasky said. "We've been invited, and it would be rude for us to say no. Head down to Hangar 15-C. I've had a Pelican prepped to deliver us to the planet's surface." Turning to Gabriela, he said, "Inform Spartan Team Blue to head to Hangar 15-C; they'll be our bodyguards for this function. Also, send a decon team there for when we return. Cortana, see if you can infiltrate their data networks while inside Chief's armor. Roland, see if you can also break into their information networks. Be careful about it, though. I don't want the Empire to find out that we're infiltrating their data networks."

"Understood," Roland said. "Time to put the lessons Cortana's been teaching me to good use."

"Same here," Cortana added. "It'll be interested interacting with the data networks the Empire has. I might even get to say hello."

"Maybe," Lasky agreed as he turned to head for the hangar bay in question.

. . .

A few minutes later, they were onboard the Pelican, with the VTOL quickly exiting the hangar bay and flying down towards the planet's surface. As they flew away, a voice came in on the modified COM system onboard the Pelican. "Unknown shuttle, you are approaching the flight corridor. Identify yourself."

"Copy that," Echo 4-9-1, the pilot of the Pelican they were on, replied. "This is Echo 4-9-1 to TIE Interceptor Leader. I have the Captain of the Infinity onboard as well as a UEG Envoy. Sending clearance codes now." With a few gestures, as well as a subconscious command, she sent the identification codes needed.

"Copy that," came the reply. "We'll escort you through the planetary shield. Follow the flight course we are sending to you. Be advised, any deviation from the flight path will be seen as a hostile reaction and will be treated as such."

"Understood. Maneuvering onto flight path now. Echo 4-9-1 over and out." Turning to Lasky, she said, "Fun bunch. I might spend my next shore leave here." Lasky nodded, while looking outside the viewport.

Chief, who was standing next to Lasky, was also observing the planet. There were few engineering marvels that could match the ecumenopolis that was Coruscant. The only ones that came close were the Halos created by the Forerunners, as well as the Ark, also created by the Forerunners. No other faction came close, with even High Charity paling in comparison to Coruscant. "Big place, isn't it," Cortana noted.

"It is," Chief agreed. Even now, he could tell that any attack on Coruscant would be nothing short of a nightmare. Urban environments were always difficult to fight in, and a ecumenopolis would be even more difficult to take. The fact that it was mostly civilian structures only added to the complexity.

Noticing movement to the left and right, he watched as a pair of TIE Interceptors flew alongside the Pelican, which was continuing to fly along the flight path that was given to it. "Chief," Cortana said, "I just got some more data from Roland. Just as Jorus informed us, the entire planet is covered with a massive energy shield that is split into multiple layers. They're having to lower sections of the shields to allow us to get inside while closing the open layers above us."

Fred, who was listening on the TEAMCOM, said, "That means that orbital strikes are out of the option until the shields are down. Could they be bypassed via Slipspace?"

"Unknown," Cortana said. "If I had to guess, though, it's possible. Slipspace does nudge us into another dimension, so getting around barriers like that would probably be quite simple to do. I wouldn't recommend doing so unless we were intending to take the planet."

"Agreed," Chief said. The remainder of their journey along the flight path was spent in silence.

As they flew closer to the planet, Lasky watched as the ship was bathed in the morning light, with the Pelican flying lower and lower on it's flight path. All around, he could see thousands, if not tens of thousands, of small craft flying through the atmosphere, carrying all manner of persons to and fro on their daily business. He could also see clouds of steam issuing from factories that belched out oxygen for the inhabitants to breath.

As they flew along, he watched as they began to fly towards a structure that reminded him of a castle. The entire structure was box-like in shape, with a trapezoidal structure that was built on top of the large rectangular base. Two structures jutted off from the narrower ends, while he could see four towers that surrounded a fifth tower that stood taller than them in the center. The entire structure was black and gray in color, while red banners that held the symbol for the Empire were visible near the entrance. Without fanfare, the Pelican began to descend.

. . .

On the landing platform for the Imperial Palace, Grand Moff Tarkin watched as the shuttle from the Infinity closed in on their position. Nearby, two squads of Stormtroopers stood in formation, each of them arranged in a pair of lines on either side of the walkway. A few Imperial Royal Guards stood nearby, their red robed bodies standing on either side of him.

Normally, Tarkin wouldn't have been in this position, except for the fact that the Emperor had arranged for him to do so. He could still remember the stern words that the Emperor had told him after he learned that the Infinity would be coming to Coruscant. "You would do well to restrain yourself, Tarkin," the Emperor had told him. "Should you ever destroy a planet with this 'UNSC' in the galaxy, and I will personally destroy your homeworld of Eriadu with the Death Star. Worse still, I will have you on the planet as punishment for your disobedience."

Tarkin swallowed slightly. He knew enough about the Emperor that disobedience would be severely punished. As such, he had willingly submitted himself to the Emperor, and had agreed not to destroy a planet unless the Emperor had given him explicit permission to do so. In addition, he would be the one that would greet Captain Lasky and bring him to the diplomatic function that was being held in the main part of the Imperial Palace.

In an attempt to distract himself from the previous days events, he looked at the shuttle that had come from the Infinity. It was clear to him that the ship was less of a shuttle and more of a gunship, an assessment that was further reinforced when he saw the weapon mount under the front of the cockpit. In fact, the entire gunship seemed to be designed in a way that would allow it to take heavy fire and keep flying.

As soon as the gunship was close enough, it rotated around, with two pairs of landing struts being deployed. He noted with mild surprise that the struts had wheels, instead of the standard flat landing pads that were usually used on shuttles and gunships. Once the gunship landed, he watched as the loading ramp was deployed.

A moment later, he watched as ten individuals walked out of the gunship and onto the landing platform. Leading them were two people, with the first being a young man with brown hair, brown eyes and tanned skin, while the other was a dark-skinned woman with turquoise eyes and black hair. The man, Lasky from what Tarkin could tell, was dressed in a white dress uniform, while the woman, likely Melody, was wearing black formal wear, though he noted the lack of flair in the dress itself. Both of them were wearing what looked like breathing masks, likely to prevent themselves from catching any illnesses.

What caught his attention, though, were the soldiers behind the two. The first eight looked like regular soldiers, though the appearance of their armor was enough to put that of Stormtrooper armor to shame. The second eight, however, were heavily armed persons that towered over everyone else, with their bodies encased in armor from head to toe. Not even their faces were visible, with blue, gray and yellow-orange visors hiding their faces from view.

Seeing the two individuals in the front approaching, Tarking stepped forwards slightly and said, "Greetings, and welcome to the Imperial Palace. I am Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, a loyal servant of the Emperor. We are honored to make your acquaintance."

The man before him nodded and said, "Greetings, Grand Moff Tarkin. I am Captain Lasky of the United Nations Space Command and the CO of the Infinity. With me is Envoy Melody Azikiwe of the United Earth Government, as well as Spartan Team Blue and Delta Squad of the ODSTs. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us."

"The pleasure is all ours," Tarkin said affably. "I've been instructed to escort you to the Pinnacle Room to speak with the Emperor, as well as the Ambassadors that have been invited to meet with you today. If you would follow me to the Pinnacle Room?"

"Of course," Lasky agreed. With that, Tarkin turned on his heels and calmly walked towards the Imperial Palace, with Lasky and the others in tow. The Royal Guards remained alongside Tarkin, while the Stormtroopers turned about face and marched towards the palace with them.

As they walked along, Lasky said, "Coruscant looks beautiful. I have to admit, I've never heard of a ecumenopolis before."

"Most in the galaxy haven't," Tarkin said. "Coruscant is one of a handful of ecumenopolises that dot the galaxy. One of them is the planet of Nar Shadda, though I would not travel to that place if I were you."

"Why?"

"Nar Shadda is a hive of criminal scum and villainy," Tarkin explained. "It's controlled by the Hutt Cartel, who usually spend their time making a profit on various illegal activities and the like. In fact, the very name of the planet means 'Glorious Jewel' in Huttese. The name is… ironic, considering that the planet is a polluted wasteland."

"Tell me about it," Lasky noted. "Consider me duly warned." As Tarkin and Lasky talked, the group walked through the doors of the Imperial Palace and into the interior of the building. Once they were through, the doors closed behind them.

If there was one thing that Lasky noted about the interior, it was that it was sprawling. The hallways were nothing short of massive, with each one wide enough that one could drive an M808D Scorpion through the halls with little difficulty. The hallways were made out of a black, marble-like material that was streaked with veins of white marble. Towering arches were present, and each entrance was so tall and wide that even a Lekgolo would have no trouble moving through the doors.

That wasn't all, though, as Lasky could also see statues and art dotting parts of the halls. Feelings someone tug his uniform slightly, he turned to see Melody motioning him to come close. "What is it?" he asked.

"Notice the statutes and paintings?" she asked. "What do they tell you?"

Turning an eye on the statues, busts and paintings he could see, Lasky analyzed them critically. "Now that you mentioned them, I get what you mean," he said.

"Exactly," Melody said. "All of them have been arranged in a way that is designed to catch your attention. In addition, all of them appear to be glorifying various events within the Empire. From what I can tell, the Emperor does like to show off his grandiose achievements."

"Definitely," Lasky noted. Looking at one painting, which depicted a massive firefight in what appeared to be a forest of mushrooms and fungi, he asked, "Tarkin, what's this painting about?"

"This one?" Tarking asked. "That one depicts the Battle of Felucia, one of the battles that was waged during the Clone Wars. It was a particularly nasty campaign, but one that we won in the end. If you're thinking of going to Felucia, I would recommend that you do not do so. It's overgrown with fungi and many other creatures that would want you dead."

"Consider me warned," Lasky said. Deep down, he could already tell what Melody was getting at. Apparently, this 'Emperor' has a bit of a narcissistic streak. Still, he kept that observation to himself, even as they entered one of the many lifts in the entire building. With a silent hum, the doors closed, before the lift began to rise upwards. Much of their journey, in fact, took a few minutes due to the sprawling size of the Imperial Palace. By the time they reached the Pinnacle Room, Lasky was wondering when they would arrive. Right on cue, the doors opened, allowing them to see the Pinnacle Room itself.

The Pinnacle Room was a very large room, with enough space inside to be able to store the bridge of a Strident-frigate's bridge. The Pinnacle Room was circular, with windows on either side that allowed a large amount of natural light to enter. High above them, the vaulted ceiling stretched, with a light fixture up above being installed for when night time was present. Several busts were present, with one catching the light of Coruscant's mother star. Inside the room, Lasky could see many people, all of them wearing dresses and formal wear. Most were human, though he spotted a few non-human individuals in the crowd, all of them species that he hadn't seen before.

It was the two individuals near the back of the room that had Lasky's attention. The first was a man that was covered from head to toe in glossy black armor, with not even the man's face being visible, as it was hidden behind a faceplate that sent shivers down Lasky's spine. A billowing black cape was draped onto the man's back, with the cape being hooked to a small chain around the front of the man's upper chest.

The second individual, though, had Lasky's full attention, though. The individual in question was a man, but that wasn't what caught Lasky's attention. What did was that the man appeared to be very, very old, with pale skin that looked more appropriate on a craggy rock, while the white's of the man's eyes were jaundiced. Those eyes, however, held a keen intelligence that immediately set off alarm bells inside of Lasky's head. Watch yourself, a voice in his head said. That man is likely the Emperor. Make him angry and he can just have you disappear without anyone knowing.

As soon as they had entered, Grand Moff Tarkin stepped forwards and said, "Emperor Palpatine, I bring with me Captain Thomas Lasky and the Envoy from the United Earth Government. Captain Lasky, I present to you Emperor Palpatine and his loyal servant Darth Vader." He bowed slightly as he spoke to the Emperor. Out of respect, Lasky chose to do the same.

It was then that the Emperor spoke. Even his voice sounded aged, though it was sharp and loud. "Thank you, Grand Moff Tarkin," he said. Looking at Lasky, he said, "Greetings, Captain Lasky. Welcome to the Imperial Palace, and by extension, to the Empire. I take it your journey here was agreeable?"

"It was," Lasky said. "I would like to thank you for taking the time to see us, and for inviting us to your diplomatic function."

"It was no bother," the Emperor said dismissively. "It was most regrettable that you had to be involved with the affair at Scarif. I take it Admiral Gorin did not survive the battle?"

"Yes," Lasky lied. "He did not."

"Hmmm," the Emperor hummed. "A pity. Had he survived the battle and come here, I would have made it clear to him how disappointed I was with his actions. Firing on a ship from another galaxy without due provocation is a very poor greeting."

"That it was," Lasky said. "I hope that not all Imperial Admirals within the Imperial Navy are as… impulsive as Gorin was. It wouldn't do well to have repeated incidents."

"I can assure you, not all Imperial Admirals are of the same cloth as Gorin was," Palpatine reassured him. "May I present to you my most loyal servant, Darth Vader. I was informed by him that he encountered your ship in the battle."

"Greetings, Captain Lasky," Vader said, though Lasky could tell that it was somewhat forced out. "You command a most impressive starship."

"Thank you," Lasky said. Looking around, he said, "I was under the impression that there would be a diplomatic function going on, unless I've missed something of course."

Palpatine smiled, though it was not a warm and friendly smile. It reminded Lasky of the grin a predatory creature would have when it found weakened prey. "Your eyes do not deceive you, Thomas Lasky," he said. "We were waiting for you and the esteemed Senator Leia Organa to arrive. Now that you are here, we will soon leave this room and travel to one of the dining halls in the Palace. Let it not be said that Emperor Palpatine did not host his guests in a hospitable manner. Come. We will discuss more matters there."

With that, the Emperor stood on his feet, before proceeding towards one of the lifts. Lasky and the others quickly entered the lift they had come along in. Once they were inside, each of the three lifts that were connected to the Pinnacle Room descended, with each one coming out near a common base in the rest of the Palace. Once they had exited, they proceeded to one of the dining rooms that was present.

The dining room was an enormous affair, with the general shape being that of a rectangle. A rough estimate on Lasky's part put the room at large enough to house a small apartment building. The ceiling up above them was vaulted, with chandeliers and lights that gave the room a warm feeling. Doors were present on either side, each one flanked by a pair of Palace Guards. Occupying the center of the room was a long table that was stuffed to the brim with foods from various worlds.

As they entered, Lasky spotted a familiar face. "Leia?" he asked. "It's good to see you here."

"It is," Leia said as the two approached each other. "It's good to see that you were able to come."

"That I was," Lasky said. Looking at the table, he said, "Apparently, the Emperor likes to combine parties and diplomatic functions into a single whole."

"That he does," Leia agreed. "It is one way to form treaties and relationships. My only regret is that you won't be able to partake tonight in the dining, if the mask is anything to tell by."

"I know," Lasky said. "Still, it's interesting to see all of this anyways. It's not just a feast for the stomach, it's a feast for the eyes as well. Either way, I'm just glad that we prevented a war."

"Me too," Leia said.

It was then that the Emperor, upon entering the room, tapped his walking stick on the ground, catching everyone's attention. "Greetings," he said in a loud voice, "and welcome to all of you. As of today, I am hosting a banquet to welcome our guests from another galaxy. All of you are free to mingle with one another. Thank you all for coming, and enjoy!"

It was like someone had released the tension from the room like air being released from an air cylinder. Many of the people in the room gravitated towards the table, taking seats before beginning to dine. Lasky and the others, though, remained near the edges of the room. Taking the opportunity, Palpatine walked over to Lasky. "I regret that you are not able to partake of the festivities tonight, Captain Lasky," he said. "When I saw the mask that you are wearing, I knew the reason why."

"It's all right," Lasky said, even though all the of hairs on his neck were starting to stand on end. "I'm more than content with the mere sight of this banquet. It is very much a feast for the eyes."

"That it is," Palpatine agreed. "I also meant it when I said that what happened was regrettable. Admiral Gorin was required, by law, to inform me of any new developments. The fact that he chose to assault your ship instead of contacting me was a grave error in judgment on his part. For that offense alone, you have my apologies."

"Thank you," Lasky said neutrally. "I'm glad to see that the rest of the Empire is more reasonable than that."

"Very much so," Palpatine agreed. "In fact, I have a few questions of my own to ask of you. Would you be so kind as to answer them?"

As he heard those words, Lasky heard another voice in his mind. Be mindful of yourself, that part of his mind warned him. Men like Palpatine can seem quite innocent, though by the time you learn of their true intentions, it is usually too late to do anything about it. "Of course," Lasky said. "Though, I am required to tell you that there are certain questions that I might not be able to answer."

"Of course," the Emperor said. Deep down, though, he knew what Lasky meant. There were questions that, by answering them, one might expose information that a foreign power might want to know. "They are merely questions of curiosity, nothing more. When I saw Leia's speech in the Imperial Senate, it was most alarming to learn of the horrors that your organization went through. Was it truly as bad as it was?"

Lasky relaxed slightly, as he knew there was nothing classified about that. "Yes, it was," he said. "The Covenant sought to exterminate all of us simply for offending their 'gods.' In fact, as a veteran of the war, I can tell you for certain that it was worse than what the video clips that you likely saw showed. I've even walked on the surface of a glassed world."

That had Palpatine's attention almost immediately. "You have?" he asked.

"Yes," Lasky said. "Imagine a place like Coruscant, only with bright blue oceans, verdant green forests and sky blue skies. Now replace the oceans with empty depressions deprived of war, the forests with charred stumps and ground made of glass, the cities with melted husks and shattered ruins and the blue sky with grayish-brown clouds and an orange haze. That's what it's like to stand on a glassed world." He pulled a photograph from inside of his dress uniform's jacket and handed it to Palpatine, who looked at it with interest.

The image that he saw lined up perfectly with Lasky's description of a glassed world. The photograph showed the scoured ruins of a city, with tall structures having been knocked down, while part of the photo showed the beginnings of a trench that was composed of glassy material. A portion of the sky had also been captured in the photo, with sky being the exact color that Lasky had described.

As soon as he saw the photo, Palpatine could very clearly tell that Lasky hadn't been joking one bit. While he was a Sith, the Emperor knew better than to waste life needlessly. To see the atrocities that the Covenant had committed, even if it was just a photograph, made his heart burn with a cold rage, though his exterior remained calm and collected. Handing the photograph back, he said, "I see. You have my sympathies. I take it the Covenant was destroyed during the war?"

"Yes," Lasky said. "One of their member races, the Sangheili, rebelled against their leadership when they learned of the truth: that we were innocent. They rebelled, and their schism tore apart the Covenant. To this day, only shattered remains of the Covenant are left, and they are not much of a threat."

"I see," the Emperor noted. "It is good that they were punished most appropriately for their crimes. I am also curious as to the individuals you brought with you, especially those four there." He pointed with a finger towards Spartan Team Blue.

"They're Spartans," Lasky said. "Specially trained and equipped soldiers. I don't know much more than that, though I can say that the one in olive drab armor, the Master Chief, was responsible for helping trigger the schism that destroyed the Covenant."

"Interesting," the Emperor noted. After taking a brief glance, he said, "I must be going now. It would not do well if people thought I was playing favorites. Take care, Captain Lasky." With that, he silently walked off.

As soon as he was gone, Lasky allowed himself to shiver ever so slightly. Damn, he thought. That was just as bad as talking to Margaret Parangosky, if not worse. The Emperor was clearly probing me for information, and he might do the same with Melody as well. True to form, he spotted Palpatine speaking with Melody, though it was clear that, she too, had adopted the same guarded approach that Lasky had.

True enough, Melody found that the Emperor, while benign in his speaking with her, was obviously hunting for something. Still, she decided to humor him, especially given the fact that he was the ruler of a million stars. "So," Palpatine said, "What form of government is the UEG?"

It was an innocent question, one that Melody knew she could answer. "The United Earth Government is a representative democracy," she said. "It is split into three different sections, each with a system of checks and balances, that prevent one house from gaining power over the other. They are the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary branches, respectively."

"Go on," the Emperor said.

"The Legislative Branch holds the UEG Congress, which represents the various worlds under the UEGs control. The House of Representatives represents the population of each planet, while the Senators represent each planet specifically. The Executive Branch is where the President and their Cabinet, along with the Joint Chiefs, make decisions that affect the UEG as a whole. The Judiciary Branch is charged with interpreting laws, while also enforcing the laws of the land."

"Interesting," Palpatine noted. "Wouldn't the Judiciary be overburdened in that case?"

"No," Melody replied. "Criminal cases are handled by the Crminal Courts, though those are a separate judicary system of their own. The Judiciary Branch is charged with ensuring that the UEG Constitution is upheld with each law that the Legislative Branch passes."

"Ah," Palpatine said. "I see now. Very interesting." He then thought of another question to ask. "What is Earth like?"

"Earth?" Melody asked. When Palpatine nodded, she said, "It's a beautiful place. I grew up in the city of New Mombasa, which is one of the largest urban centers on Earth, though not as large as those on the American continent, as well as those in other regions of the world." She then handed Palpatine a photo of Earth.

To say that Earth was beautiful was nothing short of an understatement. Palpatine could see the front half of the entire planet, with whispy white clouds, verdant green forests, deep blue oceans and the sandy orange colors of deserts. He noted pointedly that there was no information that could tell him what the defenses were. "Very beautiful indeed. I think you might have understated the beauty of your homeworld."

"Maybe," Melody admitted. "Does that help?"

"It does," Palpatine said. "Thank you for answering my question. I have no doubts that I will have more to ask you soon. Before I go, I would like to inform you that Senator Leia Organa will be the official Imperial Ambassador to the UEG and UNSC. She performed spectacularly when she defused the conflict that would have ensued otherwise."

"I see," Melody noted. "I think she is an excellent choice for the position. Her experience will help ensure that peace ensues."

"Exactly why I have chosen her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will go and inform her of my decision. Take care now." With that, he walked off, with Melody letting a shiver run up her spine.

. . .

While they were all mingling, eating and talking with one another, Vader was silently surveying the room, both through his eyes and with the Force. It was already clear to him that Lasky and Melody were being cagey around Palpatine, given the fact that he heard their responses to Palpatine's questions with his Force enhanced hearing. That was understandable, though; one didn't just start talking things up like old friends with people from another galaxy.

What had Vader's attention, though, was that there was something off about Lasky, Melody and the others. It had taken him some time to puzzle out, though he now knew the reason why. Lasky, Melody and the other 'UNSC' and 'UEG' personnel in the room didn't have a presence in the Force.

That, for a bit, had puzzled him, though he initially didn't have much time to think it over. As he was feeling out Lasky and the others through the Force, he noticed that there was a particularly bright spot in the room. He was about to feel it as well when Palpatine advanced towards him. "Yes, my master?" he asked. "What do you require of me?"

"I was curious as to what you sensed," Palpatine said. "Tell me. Did you sense anything odd about them in the Force?"

Vader knew instantly by who Palpatine was referring to when he said 'them.' "Yes," he said. "I did. They have no presence in the Force."

"Exactly what I sensed as well," Palpatine said. "Most curious. If I did not know any better, I would say that they were well trained Jedi, or that they were aware of the Force."

"My thoughts exactly, Master," Vader said. "My former master mentioned that there were beings in the Force known as 'gaps.' They were, apparently, living beings that seemed to have no connection to the Force whatsoever. They would appear to be a simple blank spot in the Force."

The Emperor nodded. "I thought as much. That is not what has my attention, though."

"What does, Master?"

"What would remove the Force from a living being?" Palpatine asked. "As far as I know, and as far as you know, nothing can live without the Force, yet here is a handful of human beings that not only do not have the Force, but are alive and well. That tells me that there is more to Lasky and the others than meets the eye."

"Agreed," Vader said. "What are we to do about them?"

"For now, nothing," Palpatine said. "Even as I was speaking with Lasky, I felt a tremor in the Force. It would not do well for us to provoke the UNSC or UEG at this time. Such a provocation would undoubtedly lead to a war that would end poorly for us. For now, we must focus on preparing for the day that such an event happens. Also, when this party is over, I would like you to focus on inspecting our facilities. That will be all for the time being."

"Yes, Master," Vader said. As Palpatine walked away, Vader looked at the newcomers with some interest. His mind drifted back to that bright spot in the Force, though he decided not to focus on that right now. His attention would remain solely affixed on the newcomers. Any other distractions were not to be heeded for the time being.

There was also something else that had Vader's curiosity piqued. As he approached Lasky, the man turned towards him; almost immediately, Vader could sense that Lasky was very wary of him, though the reasons why were not known to him. Still, he put that to the side, as he asked, "Captain Lasky. I hope you are enjoying yourself, yes?"

"Yeah," Lasky said. "It's nice, but banquets are not usually my thing. I much prefer being on the bridge of the Infinity. Makes me wish for the days that I was an fighter pilot once more."

That had Vader's interest. "You were a fighter pilot once?"

"Yeah," Lasky said. "During the Covenant-UNSC War, I flew a number of birds, from the Longsword to the S-14 Baselard. I even flew a Type 26 Banshee during the Battle of Earth." Looking at Vader, he asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Before I ended up in this suit, I was a skilled pilot myself. I flew many starships when I was a younger man, and I have my own personal TIE fighter. There is something that is... liberating about being in a fighter, like nothing can chain you down."

"There is," Lasky agreed. "I get the same feeling as CO of the Infinity. Damn fine ship, the Infinity. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"That it is," Vader agreed.

. . .

While this was going on, Leia was mingling with the others and dining at the table. She had to admit, the food was good, and people were talking with each other about Lasky and the others. A few were even speaking to Lasky, though all of them came away slightly pale upon hearing about the violence of the Covenant-UNSC War.

Even though she had days to process what she had learned, Leia was still having trouble. I can't understand why a species would murder billions of innocents for a crime they didn't commit, she thought to herself. That knowledge clashed with everything she had known about inter-species relations, and it was clear that she wouldn't have an easy time understanding the Covenant's motivations for a very long time.

Another thing that irritated her was that she had to be in her best dresses for this occasion. It reminded her too much of when her aunts tried to dress her up and make her look good, almost as though she was a doll of some kind. That was more than annoying, she grumbled inwardly as she stood up.

As she did so, she watched as Bail Organa came towards her. "Leia, are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"When I heard that the Emperor wished to speak with you, I was deeply worried," Bail said. Motioning towards a quieter part of the room, he walked with her towards that part of the room. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he asked, "Have you been compromised?"

"No," Leia whispered back. "As far as I know, the Emperor's been quite kind towards me so far. I just don't know how long that will last."

"Understandable," Bail said. "You're doing an excellent job, though. I couldn't be more proud of you." With that out of the way, they returned to the others, with Leia and Bail splitting off, though they still kept fairly close to each other.

Spotting the Imperial Senator from Eriadu, Leta spoke with him. "Enjoying the party?" she asked.

"Most certainly," the Senator said. "I still can't understand why the Covenant would be so... barbaric. Destroying another species simply for offending its religiion? What kind of madness would drive them to do that?"

"Greed," Leia said. "In addition, their zeal for their religion likely overcame their common sense. still, it is quite sad that they chose war instead of peace."

"It is," the Senator agreed.

While speaking with the Senator from Eriadu, Leia became firmly aware of the fact that someone was looking at her. The hairs on her neck stood up on end, as though someone was lifting them up. Keeping her composure, Leia turned around to see that Emperor Palpatine was looking directly at her. "Senator Leia Organa," he said kindly to her. "Would you spare a few moments with this old man?"

Leia was no fool. It was clear to her that the Emperor wanted something of her, though she had to play along if she was to avoid exposing herself. "Certainly," she said a moment later. "Would you excuse us?" she said to the Eriadu Senator. Nodding, the Senator from Eriadu walked off, while Leia walked alongside the Emperor. "What do you require of me?"

"I was most impressed with your handling of the crisis at Scarif," the Emperor said. "You not only negotiated an end to the battle at Scarif, you also made it clear that Captain Lasky and the rest of the UEG desired peace rather than war. Given how impulsive the Imperial Navy can be at times, that was no mean feat."

"Thank you, my Emperor," Leia said.

She was about to continue when the Emperor raised a finger to interrupt her. "That is not all," he said. "Given your expert handling of the situation, as well as your efforts to preserve peace, I would like to give you a reward that is most fitting. I have decided, Senator Leia Organa, to offer you the position of being an Ambassador of the Empire. When the Infinity is capable of returning to its home galaxy, I would like you to be the liaison between the Galactic Empire and the United Earth Government. You will be charged with maintaining peace and order between our government and the UEG."

Leia's heart skipped a beat, both out of surprise and relief. Apparently, the Emperor had been so deeply impressed with her handling of the Battle of Scarif that he had not only decided to make her an Ambassador of the Empire, he had also placed her in charge of the diplomatic relations between the UEG and the Galactic Empire. Still, there was a question that was nagging at the back of her mind. "Why put me into that position?" she asked. "You know that I disagree with some of your policies."

"You have the most experience with the UEG," Palpatine said. "As such, you are in the best position to speak with them and suggest to us how we should approach them and trade wtih them. It would also be poor form of me to not give you a position that you obviously deserve."

"I… see. I am humbled to hear those kind words, my Emperor," Leia said. "I will gladly accept becoming the Empire's Ambassador to the United Earth Government."

The Emperor smiled. "Excellent," he said. "I will also be giving you a place to stay here whenever you are at Coruscant. You will have a place to stay on the top floors of the Senator Apartment Complex. Consider it a token of my appreciation for your efforts to maintain the peace we have fought so hard to achieve. You may go now."

"Thank you," Leia said. With that, she calmly turned and walked away. Spotting Bail, she noticed that he had nearly gone as white as a tablecloth. "Bail, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I overheard a part of your conversation with the Emperor. Are you all right?" he asked her. "What did he want?"

"Nothing," Leia said. "He wanted to tell me that he was impressed with my handling of the crisis at Scarif, so much so that he offered me the position of being an Ambassador of the Empire to the UNSC and UEG, an offer that I've decided to accept. He's also giving me a place to stay at the top floors of the Senator Apartment Complex as a token of his appreciation for my efforts."

Bail felt his stomach curdle, while his face paled slightly. Memories of when the Republic fell and became the Empire whirled through his head, while the memory of a familiar face came into his mind. Leia, noticing this, asked, "Bail, what's wrong? You look pale."

Bail, realizing what Leia had seen, said, "Nothing," he said. "I just had a momentary lapse. Nothing more. Still, it's quite impressive that the Emperor has recognized your feat."

"That it is," Leia agreed. "However, that means that we have a problem. I can't be Alderaan's Senator to the Imperial Senate, given that, if Lasky does find a way home, I'll be doing a considerable amount of traveling. that means that someone else will have to take over for me. The question is, who would be willing to do that?"

Bail sighed. He had considered leaving the Imperial Senate to help with the Alliance, though it was clear that was no longer an option. "I'll take care of it," he said. "I've no doubts that Palpatine will be looking for a replacement for your original position. Given that I was the Senator for Alderaan for quite some time, it makes sense that I will be the one to replace you."

Leia smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I am in your debt, Bail."

"It's nothing, really," he said. "Just doing what needs to be done."

"Agreed," Leia said. "We'll discuss some other things later. For now, we should enjoy the party."

"Agreed," Bail said. As Leia walked away, he felt that cold chill going through his gut once more. I know those apartments, he said to himself. Another person of importance lived there before her demise. He had no idea why the Emperor had given Leia those particular floors in the apartment, though he could hazard a guess why. That very guess chilled his blood, though.

. . .

High in orbit over Coruscant, the Infinity continued to orbit the planet, while its escort of Star Destroyers remained nearby in case anything happened. That, though, was of little concern to Dr. Halsey, who was moving through the hallways on the Medical Deck of the ship. Datapad in hand, she moved past a few scientists, while examining the contents of the 'pad quite closely.

One of the things that had interested her the most, aside from the Death Star schematics, were the wounds that some of the Rebel Alliance soldiers at Scarif had sustained during the battle. The datapad itself held an analysis of those wounds, which had been compiled after speaking with the doctors, trauma surgeons and nurses that had worked on those people after they had come aboard the Infinity. So far, the general consensus was that the wounds created by blaster bolts were worse than those of UNSC weapons, but not nearly as bad as those created by Covenant plasma weapons, which were much hotter and much more dangerous.

She was about to turn the corner when her foot snagged onto something on the ground. The next thing Halsey knew, she was stumbling forwards, before colliding with the lower back of another doctor that was on the deck. "Ouch!" the doctor shouted as he tumbled to the ground. In an instant, the two people fell to the ground in a tangled mess, with Halsey's datapad landing nearby.

The man turned around, angry at whoever had knocked him to the floor, only for his angry expression to become that of concern when he saw who had fallen down. "Dr. Halsey!" he said, helping her to her feet. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," Halsey said. "Just tripped is all." Looking around, she said, "I had a datapad in my hands. Did you see where it went off to?"

"Here," the doctor, Jared Lancaster according to his name tag, said as he handed her the data pad.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jared said. "You heading for my office?"

"Yes," Halsey said. "I heard about a group of people that call themselves the 'Bad Batch', if I'm no mistaken. I heard that they were rejected, correct?"

"Yes," Jared said. "They're too old, though that according tot hem is due to the fact that they are clones created by the Kaninoans. Apparently, they modified their genes to where they would age faster than normal, around three times that of a baseline human being."

"Interesting. I take it that this artificial aging can't be reversed?"

"If there is a way to reverse that kind of aging, we would've used it already," Jared said with a shrug. "It's sad, really, because they've got some useful traits that would make them excellent combatants."

"May I speak with them?"

"Certainly," Jared said. "This way. They're still in the waiting room right next to my office." With that, he quickly led Halsey through the hallway they were in and towards his office. Jared's office was located at a four way junction that was modified to where the room resembled a square rather than a cross. Chairs were arranged on the sides of the square, with some of these chairs already being occupied.

Next to Jared's office were four men that were in the chairs closest to his office. The first of the men was bald, while his skin was pale in color and his eyes were tan-gold. He was also the most cybernetically enhanced member of the group, as Halsey spotted a cybernetic arm and she could see that his legs had been enhanced, courtesy of some sharp angles that stuck out of his uniform. There was also a curious cybernetic around the back of his head. The rest of the men were just as varied and old. the next was a man with tan skin, gray hair and brown eyes, which were partially obscured by glasses of some kind. Another of the men was also bald, like the first, but had a grey eye, and an eye that was solid white, which told Halsey that he was blind there. Finally, there was another man that had gray hair, tanned skin and grey eyes.

As soon as the last man in the group saw them, he immediately stood up and walked over to Halsey and Jared. "Dr. Jared, good to see you. Sorry our artificial aging couldn't be reversed."

"No problem at all," Jared said. "If I could, I would have gladly done so." Turning to Dr. Halsey, he said, "Halsey, this is Hunter, the leader of the Bad Batch. With him is Wrecker, Echo and Tech."

"Interesting," Halsey said before putting her data pad on a nearby chair. "I take it from your names that each of you has a specific task, yes?"

"That's right," the clone known as Wrecker said. "I'm the team's demolitions expert. If you want something blown up or smashed, you come to me. Tech is our resident tech genius and Echo is our scout."

"Pleased to meet you two," Halsey said.

"Likewise," Echo said. Seeing Halsey's expression, he said, "Sorry about that. My lungs were cybernetically enhanced after I had a brush with death. If I sound funny, that's why."

"Ah, I see. I was told that each of you had some unique abilities. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Wrecker said. "As you can tell, my strength has been enhanced beyond baseline standard. I can crush droids, smash my way through walls, and I can blow stuff up like you wouldn't believe. Tech here is our tech wizard, and nothing short of a genius. A joke that we have is that if you threw just about any piece of technology in front of him, he'd figure it out in a heartbeat. Ain't that right, Tech?"

"Yes," Tech said.

"As for Echo, he's our resident cyborg, but he's also good at scouting out places. Finally, you have Hunter, who's able to sense electromagnetic fields and has heightened senses. Maps might be wrong, but Hunter never is."

"I see," Halsey noted. "Is that true, Hunter?"

"It is," Hunter agreed. looking around, he said, "Hey, where's Omega?"

"Who?" Halsey asked.

It was at this point that Jared said, "Excuse me, lady!" Turning in his direction, Halsey found that Jared was looking at a young woman with blond hair, brown eyes and tanned skin. She was just shy of Jared's height, with Halsey estimating her to be around her height. It was clear, though, that Jared had caught her reading her datapad. "Don't you know that it's rude to read something you shouldn't?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," the woman said. "I was just curious is all."

"I see," Jared said. "If that's the case, then no harm done. Just don't eavesdrop on people like that." Turning to Halsey, he said, "My apologies, Halsey. This is Omega, the fifth member of the Bad Batch. As you can tell, she's one curious young lady."

"That I can," Halsey said as she motioned with her right hand towards Omega. Once Omega gave her back her data-pad, she asked, "Why were you reading it?"

"Just curious is all, like I said," Omega said. "I was reading on how you were trying to find ways to treat blaster wounds. That's information that I can share with you if you want."

"That would be quite useful," Halsey said. "Judging by your rather youthful appearance, you weren't artificially aged, yes?"

"That's correct," Omega agreed. "My creator, Nala Se, created me to be one of her assistants. She was quite protective of me, and she had me around the Bad Batch for a while. When we escaped Kamino, I went with them on some interesting adventures."

"More like 'misadventures,'" Hunter added. "Took me a while to learn how to raise her right, but we managed between the four of us in the end."

"That's good to hear," Halsey said. "I would like the opportunity to see your abilities in action. Right now, however, I need a medically inclined individual. Omega, if you could come with me to my lab on one condition?"

"Sure," Omega said.

"Please don't eavesdrop or read my data pads unless I tell you to. People that do that are known as eavesdroppers and peeping toms, and it's considered extremely rude. Do I make myself clear?" While she knew that this was hypocritical, as she had done it many times herself, she didn't like having to do it.

"Yes, ma'am," Omega replied. "I was just trying to help."

"I understand," Halsey said. "I might even invite you into my lab at some point, should you do well. Now run along. I have work to do." Looking at the others, she said, "You can come as well. I'll make certain that the XO is aware of my request." With that, the entire group began traveling towards Halsey's lab.

. . .

Olivia wasn't the only person from the wider galaxy that had an interest in the crew of the Infinity. Inside of the crew quarters deck, Sabine took a moment to examine one of the rooms of the deck. The room she was in was a large one, with the entirety of the room being devoted as one of the many sleeping quarters for the Marine, Army and Navy personnel that were stationed aboard the Infinity. Split into numerous sections, the bunk beds were designed to be housed inside of the walls of each section, with the entire place being accessible via doors on the opposite ends of the room.

Her own bunk bed was just like the others, with a few olive drab blankets, a pillow as well as a white mattress. Above her bed was another one just like it, with that bed being unoccupied at the moment. They also had a communal restroom that was connected to their quarters, though thankfully it was separated from the men's quarters and restroom. Currently, Sabine was in the ODST section of the crew quarters, as her physical had shown that she had the physical capabilities needed to work as an ODST, even though she was on the ship as a mercenary contracted to work for them. That had allowed her to keep her distinctive armor, though she had been offered a number of upgrades to the design.

Getting up from her bunk, she quickly put her armor on, before walking out of the section of the quarters that she was in. Moving into one of the hallways, she maneuvered carefully around groups of Marines and ODSTs that were milling about. Some Navy and Army personnel were also present, with each of them having a private conversation, while those on duty were marching along, fully decked out in armor plating.

One thing that had gotten her attention about those soldiers was the way they talked about the Covenant-UNSC War. Whenever they talked with each other, Sabine got the impression that they had all lost someone close to them during the war. It must have been bad for a war of that caliber to be talked about in hushed tones, she noted. Continuing on, she walked along in silence.

She was so focused on just taking a stroll that she was caught off guard by the tactical pad on her left gauntlet vibrating. Looking at it, she found that she had gotten a message. The message read, "Contractor Sabine Wren, report to Training Arena immediately. Sabine Wren to Training Arena immediately."

Finally, she thought. I'll be able to show what I can do when given a chance to do so. She was so perked up that, as she proceeded towards the Training Arena, she didn't notice the being that was in her way. She was about to look forwards when she bumped into something that was nearly as immovable as a wall. Stumbling backwards, she quickly regained her footing and looked up.

Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that she had bumped into one of the few aliens onboard the ship. A Sangheili, she realized as the alien turned around and looked at her with orange-yellow eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "I was distracted and I didn't see where I was going."

The alien smiled, or did what she thought was a smile. "It is of little concern," he, as the Sangheili's voice was unmistakably male, said. "I am more concerned about you. Are you all right?"

"Fine," Sabine said. "Just heading to the Medical Deck for my NI and I got lost in some thought. Ever since I agreed to work for the UNSC, I've been thinking a lot about what's going to happen now." Looking at the Sangheili, she said, "In addition, I read up on your species. You remind me a lot of my people." At that moment, she realized she had missed something. "Oh! I forgot my manners." Extending a hand, she said, "Sabine Wren."

The Sangheili smiled, then shook her hand in return. "Usze 'Taham," the Sangheili replied. "It is a pleasure to meet you. However, you have piqued my curiosity. What did you mean by 'your people?'"

"I meant our cultures," Sabine said. "I'm a Mandalorian, a native of the planet of Mandalore. We're a warrior society that prides itself on having some of the best warriors in the galaxy. Rank is achieved through merit, and we have very tight families. In recent years, though, much of Mandalore's glory has faded, and the Mandalorians now sell themselves out as mercenaries. Some of us, though, still remember when we were more than just conquerors and mercenaries. Some of us remember that, before all of that, we were a people that valued each other more than just money and glory." She fell silent after saying this.

"I see," Usze noted, making a motion with his hand. As the two began walking to the tram station that would take Sabine to the Training Arena, he said, "Much of what you say reminds me of my people, Sabine."

"How so?"

"We are also a warrior culture, with a strong emphasis on merit and honor. Once, we served the Covenant as its protectors and guardians, only to turn away from that when we were forced to wage war against the Humans. Once we learned of the Hierarch's deceit, we turned against them, punishing them for their crimes and restoring the honor that we had lost. Now we work alongside our Human allies to forge a new future for our species."

"I see," Sabine noted. "Did you fight in the Covenant-Human War?"

Usze nodded. "Yes. I was one of the more dangerous warriors in the Covenant. However, I still feel shame after remembering all of the Humans that I slew in the war, even after all this time. However, I will not stew in the past, as some have chosen to do. Instead, we must look to the future, and remember the lessons of the past."

"Sound words of advice," Sabine said as they arrived at the tram station. "I'm heading to the training arena. Wish to come with me?"

"Certainly," Usze said. "I was going there myself. It will be interesting to see your skills in combat." Noticing a wistful expression on her face, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Just remembering someone," Sabine said. "I was thinking about a friend of mine that, I think, would have loved exploring this ship."

"What was his name?"

"Ezra. That's what his name was," Sabine said.

"What happened to him?" Usze asked.

"He sacrificed himself to save me and the others when we were pursuing a Chiss Admiral that worked for the Empire. I've been meaning to ask Lasky for help, but between recent events, as well as my coming aboard, I haven't gotten the chance to do so yet. Once he's back aboard, I'll tell him and then I can get some help in finding Ezra."

"A noble goal for one so young," Usze agreed. "I look forward to sparring with you, Sabine Wren."

"You too."

. . .

A few hours after the banquet had ended at the Imperial Palace, Leia and Bail were inside of the lift that would take them to the uppermost floors of the Senator Apartment Complex. A tall building with a rounded top, the Senator Apartment Complex was where all of the Senators that were at Coruscant, or were visiting Coruscant, stayed at. While not as prestigious as the 500 Republica building, it served the purpose and it was lavishly decorated.

As the lift came to a stop, the doors opened, allowing Leia and Bail to move through the small lobby and into the main rooms. Even as they entered, they spotted Alderaani technicians and personnel scanning every square centimeter of the premises. Apparently, they were about done with their duties, as within minutes, they had packed up their gear and were moving towards the elevator. One of them, the Chief Technician, came over to them. "Is the room secure?" Bail asked.

"Yep," the Chief Technician said to them. "We just checked it over for any bugs and the like. We snagged a whole bunch of the little mynocks, but we can tell you for certain that the entire room is bug-free. You could fire a blaster in that apartment and no one would ever know."

"Thank you," Bail said. "Are we allowed to come in?"

"Yep," the Chief Technician said. "She's all yours now." With that, he walked into the lift, with the other technicians quickly getting in as the doors closed. As the lift descended, Leia and Bail walked into the apartment they were given.

The apartment was nothing short of luxurious. The lobby opened to a wide low-ceilinged room that had a series of yellow-creamed colored sofas that were turned towards each other. The ceiling and walls were of a ribbed design, with clari-crystalline windows and expansive skylights allowing for ample illumination. Right now, the room was lit up with soft white lights that amply illuminated the room. Transparisteel doors were present at the entrances to small balconies that one might use to look over the city. On either side of the room were small tables that one might use for work or dining.

Moving through one of the hallways, they entered a bedroom area that had a large mattress, as well as a window on one side. A faint humming indicated that the window was shielded, a result of an attack on the previous resident that had happened twenty five years ago. Moving to the right, they walked up the staircase and into the veranda.

The veranda was nothing short of spacious and luxurious, with the center of the room occupied by a few sofas, as well as a bubbling fountain in the exact center of the room. White columns formed some of the walls, with white sheets that were drapped between them. Small orbs lit the entire room, and there were vases, as well as a small globe, in the corners of the room. A short hallway led to a small landing pad for airspeeders.

Leia, walking around the entire room, looked on with wonder. "It's beautiful," she said. "I don't think that there is an apartment that is better than this." Looking at Bail, she could see him staring off into space. "Bail? Are you all right? Bail?"

Unbeknownst to Leia, Bail's mind had traveled back to when he was in this apartment. Walking towards the sofas, he lightly touched one, remembering the people that once used these seats. I miss you, he said to himself as he recalled the face of that one person. I wish that you were still around, Padme. I wonder what you would have thought of me, especially after all this time. What made the memories more difficult to bear was that he could not tell Leia who had once lived here, or what her relations with Leia were like.

He was jarred out of his trip down memory lane when Leia gently laid a hand on his arm. "Bail, are you all right?"

Bail nodded, shaking the memories off. "I'm all right," he said a moment later. "I was just remembering somethings." Looking at her, he said, "The room's been cleared of bugs. We should contact Mon Mothma and speak with her."

"Yes," Leia agreed. "We should speak with her on your ship. The bugs are cleared, but someone might use other methods to listen in."

"Agreed."

. . .

On another planet far away from Coruscant, there was another heated debate going on at Yavin IV, with the Rebel Council arguing with each other over the various events that had occurred just before Lasky had left with the Infinity and the Star Destroyer he had captured. Inside of the chambers, Mon Mothma was rubbing her forehead as the members of Rebel High Command argued with one another.

Ever since Lasky had brought up all of the flaws that he had seen in the organization, the members of Rebel High Command had been getting into increasingly heated arguments with each other. Today was no exception, as she could hear Nower and Vasp arguing with each other. "We should listen to Lasky's advice and get the Rebellion organized more effectively," Vasp was saying. "Shouting about Lasky's dressing down isn't going to change a thing."

"It does!" Nower growled. "Not only did he insult the Rebel Alliance in its entirety by refusing to join, he shamed us by pointing out what where, at best, minor faults! His insinuation that the Empire was more professional was also incredibly rude and uneducated as well!"

Tynnra was quick to throw in her comment as well. "That was probably the worst part of his argument against joining us," she said. "The fact that he insinuated that the Empire was more organized and professional than we are made my blood boil! How he secured a position as a Captain in the UNSC is beyond me. Personally, I think we should have forced him to join the Rebel Alliance!"

"And risk having the entire Rebel Alliance leadership destroyed?" Vasp countered. "Didn't you see the Infinity in all of its glory when it arrived here? If you had even held Captain Lasky hostage, the Infinity would have deployed its army to rescue them and capture us instead! Worse still, those 'Spartans' that he brought along would have slaughtered the lot of us! Don't be so short sighted in your beliefs, Tynnra!"

"You dare suggest that I am short-sighted?!" Tynnra snarled.

"I believe that Vasp is right in that regard," Jan Dodonna said quietly. "You were quite adamant about scattering the Rebel Alliance when the Death Star's existence was revealed to us by Jyn Erso. In addition, you had the most vitriolic refusal to help her when she suggested that the Rebel Alliance invade Scarif to secure the plans. It goes to show what you think of the Rebel Alliance: as a doomed attempt to restore the Republic."

"It is doomed!" Tynnra attempted to argue. "Look around you! The Empire grows in strength every day, and all we can manage are small strikes that barely hurt the Empire and hurt us more instead! The Death Star is just the final link in the chain, and the strongest out of all of them too!"

"I refuse to believe that the Empire has us beat!" Vasp snarled loudly. "In fact, all of us know that the Empire is more incompetent than ever. Are you saying that we are to bow to the Empire and let them enslave us?! If so, Tynnra, then you are a fool, and so are you Nower!" The entire room seemed to devolve into a shouting match between the three Senators, with Vasp's supporters throwing in their own harsh and uncourteous remarks into the fray as well.

It was Davits that broke up the argument. "Enough!" he shouted. "Listen to yourselves! All of you are arguing as much as a pair of mynocks trying to tear at a piece of equipment! What's done is done, and there is nothing we can do about Lasky's refusal to join. All we can do is figure out a way to move on from here."

"Which is simple, really," Vasp added. "Reorganize the Rebellion into an actual military with an actual civilian government. That way, we have the best chance of overthrowing the Empire and making the Emperor pay for his crimes!"

"Are you INSANE?!" Tynnra nearly shrieked. "You would bring the Empire down on our heads for that! If that is what you are suggesting, Vasp, then I refuse to have any say with the Rebel Alliance any longer!" With that, she stomped out of the room with little dignity.

"I agree with Tynnra as well," Nower added. "I will have no more association with the Rebel Alliance! Good day, Mon Mothma!" He followed Tynnra out as well.

Mon Mothma rubbed her forehead. "It's just getting worse, isn't it?"

"It is," Jan Dodonna agreed. "Most of the Rebel Alliance is willing to remain with us, but there are a number of small factions that have split away from us. Some of the more militaristic factions are also threatening to leave as well. If we don't get a handle on this soon, we'll be seeing a full dissolution of the Rebel Alliance."

"I agree," Davits added. "Admiral Raddus, General Hera, and a few others, have agreed to stay with us, but if we don't reorganize the Rebel Alliance, it's going to fall apart. What would you suggest?"

Mon Mothma was silent. It was now clear to her that her inability to effectively lead the Rebel Alliance had caused cracks to form, cracks that were not visible to her until now. Her mind drifted back to what Lasky had said during his stay at Yavin IV, and it wasn't long before an idea occurred to her. "We will have to form a civilian government first," she said. "Given that I am no longer an effective leader, we will have to find someone that is suitable to take my place. Any suggestions?"

"We could speak with former Senator Garm Bel Iblis," Davits suggested. "Out of everyone in the Rebel Alliance, he's been one of the most effective leaders that I've seen. In addition, he has a considerable amount of military experience, which means that he'll be the most effective leader for the Rebel Alliance."

"Are you certain about that?" Vasp asked the others. "Garm Bel Iblis, even as a Senator, was a highly controversial figure in the Rebel Alliance. Not everyone will agree to him replacing Mon Mothma as the leader of the Rebel Alliance. No offense intended, Mon Mothma."

"None taken," Mon Mothma reassured him. "General Hera, what do you think?"

Hera had been submerged in her thoughts of Sabine, especially when she had left. Good person, but I don't know if she made the right choice. Hearing Mon Mothma's words, she came out of her thinking and considered her words carefully before she spoke. "Honestly, Garm Bel Iblis sounds like the perfect candidate to lead the Rebel Alliance. Yes he is a highly controversial figure, especially for his militaristic stance, but in these harsh times, that's exactly who we need right now. We need someone that can take the reins and direct the Rebel Alliance in an effective manner. As for me, the only concern that I have is his pride. It's gotten him into trouble more than once."

"Yes, that," Davits noted. "That means that we'll need someone to act as his deputy, someone that can helpfully remind him that he is just another man. Bail Organa could fill that role effectively, except for the fact that he's in the Imperial Senate."

"He will be retiring soon," Mon Mothma said. "Bail's informed me that he will call with more information once the meeting at Coruscant is ended, or when he has a chance to call. As far as I know, Leia will be the next Senator for Alderaan. As such, he's going to be stepping down once she takes his place. We can inform him of what happened here once he's ready."

"Agreed," Davits said.

"That solves the problem when it comes to civilian leadership," Hera said. "What about military leadership. I'm a General, but that doesn't mean that I get to be in charge of the entire Rebel Alliance's military. We need something of a Supreme Commander to be able to do that."

"Quite so," Mon Mothma agreed. "Is there anyone that could do the job?"

"I can do so as an interim Supreme Commander," Jan Dodonna suggested. "I won't take the position myself, unless I am appointed to the position by the civilian leader of the Rebel Alliance. Until then, though, I'll do the best I can to get the Rebel Alliance organized. Either way, the only way we'll survive is to associate with the UNSC and UEG. They're our best chance of survival right now."

"We can agree on that," Davits said. "Given what we've seen from that one speech that Leia gave, it's clear that the UNSC is probably our best chance at fighting back against the Empire. If we can create an alliance with them, we'll be able to put up an effective resistance. The only question is how."

"That it is," Mon Mothma said. "We'll reconvene at a later time. Davits, I need you to track down Garm Bel Iblis and give him a proposition to lead the Rebel Alliance's military, while I serve as his interim deputy until Bail Organa is able to do so. Jan Dodonna, I'll need you to get to work getting the Rebel Alliance military back together in a reorganized manner. Much of it has already scattered, and we'll need the cells that have scattered to return to the fold."

"Understood, ma'am," Dodonna said. "I'll get the job done, even if I have to bust a few heads to do so. Hera will be my deputy in case I die, along with Admiral Raddus."

Mon Mothma was about to speak when a Rebel Trooper came into the room. "Ma'am, there's a HoloCom call coming in from Senators Leia and Bail."

"We'll take it immediately," Mon Mothma said...

Within a few minutes, they were all inside of the HoloCom room, with the technicians quickly clearing out. "Ma'am, channel's open," the officer in charge of the room said.

"Thank you," Mon Mothma said. Making sure that she was presentable, she keyed the call, with Leia and Bail's holograms appearing. "Leia, Bail, greetings," she said. "I take it that all is well?"

"Yes," Leia said. "Lasky and I arrived at Coruscant with little incident. We just came from a welcoming party that Palpatine hosted for Lasky and the other members of the Infinity."

"How did that go?"

"Very well, though Lasky and Melody couldn't participate. They're still waiting on immunizations for disease that we are resistant to. Beyond that, there is a matter we have to discuss."

"Do tell," Mon Mothma said.

"The Emperor, due to how I handled the Battle of Scarif, saw fit to make me an Imperial Ambassador to the UNSC and UEG. As a result, I cannot occupy both that position as well as the positions of Ambassador and Senator of Alderaan. Once Lasky has found a way home, I will have to travel the void between galaxies to the galaxy the UEG is in."

"I've volunteered to become the Ambassador and Senator of Alderaan as a result of this development," Bail explained further.

"I see," Mon Mothma said. "This, though, could be a major opportunity for us. Not only could Leia represent the Empire's interests and speak with the UEGs leaders, she can also represent ours as well and convince the UEG to give us some much needed support. However, Bail, I must tell you what's happened since Lasky's visit." For a few minutes, she quickly told him what had happened when Lasky came to Yavin IV, as well as the events thereof.

When she finished, Bail had a frown on his face. "I see," he said. "To be fair, I did see these flaws in the Rebel Alliance. Due to my position, though, I wasn't in any position to affect the necessary changes. Still, to know that we were so badly disorganized... It makes me wonder how we lasted this long."

"Me too," Leia said. "I can see why Lasky said no, but he could have put it more tactfully. So, what do you plan to do now?"

"For starters, we will be reorganizing the Rebel Alliance into a true military and civilian government," Mon Mothma said. "In addition, we will attempt to speak with Lasky once he is done with the diplomatic function at Coruscant. As of now, though, the Rebel Alliance as we know it is dying. A new one, created by us with Lasky's insights, will soon be born. I just wish that we were more observant with everything that we did."

"Same here," Bail said. "We'll contact you at another time. We don't want the Empire to start listening in. Take care, Mon Mothma."

"You too, Bail," Mon Mothma said as the call fell silent. As everyone left the room, she began to think. Thus ends one Rebel Alliance, she thought, and starts another.