Private First Class Jacob Gregory "Jake" Meyer - Fireteam Alpha, Second Squad, First Platoon, C/Charlie Company, Second Raider Battalion "Carlson's Raiders", Second Raider Regiment, Second Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Marine Corps

Ahto City, Manaan, Inner Rim, "The Galaxy"

11:09:15 ATC/ November 9th, 1968 - 8:40 AM

"You know, I didn't think we could've pulled it off without sniper surveillance and support." Sam chuckled lightheartedly as he and Jake approached the conference room. "Too much running and gunning like cowboys is both the Republic's and Imperial philosophy on warfare."

Jake shook his head in amusement at the assessment. If it wasn't Napoleonic style marching to square off against each other on the battlefield, it was detaching men from their assigned units to complete a completely different task while the unit proper was about to be committed to the front. "I don't get why their snipers are using easily spotted red barriers at times when concealment takes precedence but they apparently know better and I'm not going to complain."

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." Sam deadpanned. "But I enjoy the look on the mugs of those Republic officers who sneer at us because they were taught at some military academy that is twenty thousand years old only to be humbled when we take the objective they failed to take four or five times."

"Would it be amusing if the Republic for some reason decided to build walkers that are seventy-four feet high and use them on the battlefield?"

"Don't be ridiculous, that would be very unstable." Sam snorted. "But I wouldn't put it past them or the Imperials."

The two friends laughed as Jake pushed the button to activate the automatic doors and entered the rented conference room.

"What's funny?" Sara wondered as she gazed up from her holomagazine.

"Oh, just a humorous thought about walkers." Meyer confessed. "Sam and I were thinking that it would be a waste of money if either the Republic or Empire decides to manufacture a variant that's twenty-two and a half meters tall."

Even Bigfoot himself began laughing at the pair's hypothetical. "The mighty Jakarro could probably trip them with cables!"

"I'll admit that the Moffs of the Empire have made some poor decisions from time to time but there's no way such an impractical design would be approved by either the Ministry of Logistics or the Sphere of Production and Logistics." Kelrein defended. "Our equipment runs on the philosophy of efficiency and practicality but I can see the Republic doing it."

"Well, maybe the walkers were fine before Earth became known to the galaxy but now it's a guaranteed duck gallery for our tanks, bazookas, and recoilless rifles." Jake shrugged. "How many heads are rolling on Dromund Kaas?"

"Classified." Sara declared immediately before glancing back down on her holomagazine. "Huh, this is interesting. Apparently there's some movie about Revan being produced on Earth."

"Wait, what?" Sam wondered. "A movie about the deranged guy who just tried to kill us by overkill?"

"Yes, a movie about him." The Imperial Commando articulated in her cut-glass. "Being produced by some George Lucas, whoever the hell he is, and Gene Roddenberry is supporting the project financially."

"Damn, I'm not sure what to think about it quite yet, beautiful." Jake drolled. "That's a funny coincidence."

"Clearly." Sara rolled her eyes in disbelief. "There's also this new hit song by an Impostor named David Bowie."

'It's just a coincidence! How were Limeys supposed to know that every regional and even the Posh voice their society speaks are also spoken by an extraterrestrial civilization?' Meyer thought. "Talking about Starman?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Polonsky was playing it nonstop for an entire week in the barracks so I switched the Pollack's record with Preußens Gloria to teach him a lesson before Roebuck murdered him." Jake sighed. "I didn't want him to be partitioned."

"At times, I don't know if you're more Irish, more Scottish, or more Kraut, pal." Sam grinned as he gave Jake a slap on the back."But that's one hell of a way of telling a Polish-American to stop playing a song excessively."

"Admittedly he almost killed me afterwards but it was either that or listen to it incessantly before Roebuck or even the entire company partition his limbs."

"If he was an Imperial, a Sith would've…" The redhead paused as she thought back to Korriban. "Choked him on the spot."

'That's right. Shit, I can't believe that I've forgotten about it!' "How's your arm by the way?"

"Was lucky that the slug didn't embed in my arm." Sara divulged. "And I was able to save it."

"Seven point Six Two would've annihilated it so…"

"A few bits of my armour nicked me, not the slug, but apparently the projectile went in at the outer edge, curved upwards, and popped right out at an angle."

"A magic bullet?" Sam snorted. "Just like what occurred in Dallas with Oswald missing three times yet somehow the angle from where he was aiming one of his shots contributed to a bullet flying in a curve?"

"Sounds like a lack of propellant but that's only a theory." Jake considered as Mister Red Jacket and the Jarhead's other girlfriend arrived.

"Jake? Is it alright Sara and I talk to you in private?"

The Marine glanced over to the redhead, her previous cheery mood appearing sorrowful and heartbroken as if she knew that the private discussion was planned beforehand. 'I'll admit that I didn't expect a poker face.'

"Actually, there's something I need to discuss with Sam and Jakarro anyways." Shan interceded. "We can go to another room and give you a moment alone."

Sam and Sasquatch looked at each other momentarily before shrugging.

Lana sighed after the others withdrew from the main rented conference room and Sara stood beside her friend, the two women gazing at their mutual lover fretfully.

"Look, Jake, I do realize that I haven't known you long, but I wish we had more time together." Lana began.

"You don't have to go anywhere. I'm sure I -"

"I believe we do." Sara corrected. "Lana and Agent Shan learned some troubling things after we escaped Rakata Prime. Then there's the fact that Jakarro received death head contracts, Theron is disavowed by the SIS, and-"

"The Dark Council placed a bounty on my head for the murder of Darth Arkous." Beniko finished. "The Revanites proved themselves to be everywhere and we don't know who to trust. While so far none of the Earth Coalition, as far as Theron and I are aware, are members of the Revanites, they probably would turn me over to the Republic."

Sara gazed at Jake's blue-gray eyes tearfully. "I do not know when I will be able to see you again. I'm leaving with Lana, Theron, Jakarro and that annoying droid to hopefully discover a safe location and work against the Revanites covertly."

'Dammit.' Jake thought as while they didn't openly say it, their tone indicated goodbye. "You know I'm going to miss you both."

The two lovebirds pulled their gallant in for an embraceful hug, savoring the moment they had left with the man the two girlhood friends cherished.

"I love you, Jake." Sara mournfully murmured to her fiancé. "We'll see each other again one day."

Sergeant Samuel David "Sam" Westbrook -First Squad, Third Platoon, D/ Delta Company, Second Battalion, 324th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

Ahto City, Manaan, Inner Rim, "The Galaxy"

11:09:15 ATC/ November 9th, 1968 - 8:52 AM

"Well, I know we got off to a rough start, Sam, but we did pull through." Theron began. "However, there's...a new complication."

"What kind of complication, Red Jacket?"

"Maybe I should change outfits." The SIS operative muttered. "The Revanites placed bounties on everyone except for you and Jake and that's because the Earth Coalition hasn't been infiltrated by the Revanites nor is there any interest by Earth to work with the Bounty Hunter's Guild as of now."

"Ha! Imagine that. For a Civilization who doesn't believe in the Force, how can a cult of Force believers infiltrate and convert those to their cause?" Sam asked rhetorically.

"Plus Earth has only been known to the entire galaxy for just a year, the Quarantine Policy is meant to prevent espionage and sabotage as much as possible and most of your religions, except for maybe Buddhism and Shintoism, doesn't correlate with the Force." Theron finished. "Which means Revan is hindered from successfully recruiting Earthlings to his cause plus Patton from time to time threatens to shoot Republic officers and Jedi for stupidity that to me doesn't seem stupid."

"In short, Revan will be forced to take on Earth if his cause grows large enough. I dare him to try."

Shan rolled his eyes at the paratrooper and took a deep breath before getting to the point. "Lana, Sara, Jakarro, and I will be leaving soon and working against the Revanites covertly. But until we contact you, watch your backs." Theron handed Samuel two tickets for a ride back to Coruscant.

"Wait? Sara and Lana are going with you?"

"Well, I can't work against the cultists alone and quoting one of your aphorisms: The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Shan reasoned. "Do me a favor, will you?"

"Another one already, Red Jacket?"

The operative rolled his eyes before uttering the request. "I suggest Jake take a vacation to Voss after the war and see the mystics. Perhaps they could enlighten him about the Force."

Samuel just smirked as he about-faced and progressed to the exit. "You might as well have him burn the United States Constitution or support the Communist Party of the United States of America in addition to getting his stubborn head to start accepting the existence of the Force. While I'm honestly agnostic to it, I'll be sure to tell him that you're joking!"

Theron's eyes widened at the remarkable response. 'I wasn't being sarcastic!'

Sergeant Sara Kelrein- Imperial Army Commando unit 421 "The Ravagers"

11:09:15 ATC/ November 9th, 1968 - 10:29 AM

"I can't believe I have to say goodbye to him again." Sara lamented.

"You're not the only one." The Minister of Sith Intelligence ached. "In the short time I got to know him, I can see why you are smitten with him. He's isn't exactly bad on the eyes either."

Sara chuckled softly at her friend's affectionate blush. "If you were someone else, I would've already made you disappear but I'm not going to complain if it's you."

"I wouldn't desire to harm your attachment." The blonde reiterated to the redhead.

"I know." The engaged woman smiled. "But you're not and so far...the ménage a trois seemed...was seemed to be working out." Sara felt lightheaded and empty as she realized the departure. "Dammit. I miss him already."

"We'll see him again. I'm sure of it."

"It's a matter of not if but when." Kelrein sniffled. "I don't want him to wait hopelessly."

Private First Class Jacob Gregory "Jake" Meyer - Fireteam Alpha, Second Squad, First Platoon, C/Charlie Company, Second Raider Battalion "Carlson's Raiders", Second Raider Regiment, Second Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Marine Corps

Ahto City Spaceport - Ahto City, Manaan, Inner Rim, "The Galaxy"

11:09:15 ATC/ November 9th, 1968 - 10:29 AM

"You know, I'm still denying the fact that not only you and Sara somehow rekindled by now, you also somehow got a bombshell blonde smitten with you and Sara's cool with it." Sam brought up as the pair boarded their flight that's taking them to Coruscant. "Sounds like a dream come true."

"Look at it from my perspective, it was Sara's idea, not mine." Jake reminded him. "And I'm still getting used to it but as far as I know, she's not bothered with Lana in addition to her but if it was anyone else, as Sara stated, then it would be an issue, not that I would put that theory to the test."

"I know that you wouldn't be a guy to have an affair or dalliance but I guess Sara really trusts her if she's not getting jealous over this."

"Lana is her friend from childhood so…"

"That explains it." Westbrook snorted. "You're still one lucky bastard."

"Maybe but that's debatable." Meyer grinned as he leaned back in his velvet-like seat. "Still, I think I'm going to enjoy it as it's working out surprisingly well between the three of us so far…Well, if I ever see them again."

"No shit, they're both undeniably enamored with you. In fact, it looks like you're hooked for life. " The paratrooper acknowledged. "And judging by the two run ins, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a third."

"I'm sure there's someone waiting for you around the corner, pal. It's just that the path to it hasn't been found yet."

"Can I get you two any refreshments?" A male Twi'lek steward asked the pair. "We just received Cherry Coca-Cola's from Earth."

"Two Cherry Cokes please." Sam smiled as he grabbed his wallet. "Hope you accept cash and change instead of credits."

Again, I apologize for yesterday as I have intended to have the next five chapters published for Star Wars Day and I sincerely was committed to the deadline but the other three will be out as soon as they're completed.

Until then, I hope you've enjoyed Chapters Twenty and Twenty-One :)

To be honest, I don't know how to best explain or even justify some of the depictions in the game when it comes to making tactical sense with the available technology per se and Bioware, unfortunately, has a habit of not going in-depth with the details about the in-universe events or equipment, so I'm forced to infer what it could be when it comes to strategy (or the lack there of).

I admittedly can be completely wrong with my conclusions here since it can be potentially clarified once more novels or comics or maybe codexes are published but until then I'm inferring from the official depictions that is regarded as canon for SWTOR.

Since I'm a military history enthusiast, what you're reading is my observations courtesy of the Cinematic Trailers such as the ever awesome Hope and Deceived , the Lost Sun comics and official posters / wallpapers in addition to gameplay, which can be summed up as either Napoleanic or Chaotic / Cowboyish, though the latter at times can honestly be justified depending on the context (there's a reason why Special Operation Forces are criticized as cowboys and the paratroopers missing their dropzones in Normandy caused confusion with units getting mixed up) but it just seems a little too Cowboyish to be plausible, as in overboard during a conventional engagement.

Regardless, Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG to be fair and don't take it as bashing the game as it is an enjoyable experience. I just thought to try to adapt to the lack of information and use it to my advantage plotwise to showcase potential evolution for the SWTOR factions and the complexity of interoperability between not just the nations of Earth but cooperating with the Republic Military and other extraterrestrial forces as well.

And *cough awkwardly* It seems like there's going to be separation for awhile after the short reunion.

Overall though, this story will be having some significant twists and turns, especially with a few surprises in the three upcoming chapters:)

P.S. Yes, it will be even more surprising than what you've just read but you got to wait and see.

Happy (belated) Star Wars Day everyone!