Chapter 14: Aggressive Negotiations
In Spirit of Fire slipped back into real-space, the massive dreadnought emerging in empty space alongside a pair of Venator-Class Star Destroyers. Admiral Cutter stood over his central command console, his bridge crew working to keep the ship functioning. "Admiral, Republic Cruisers are hailing us!" Cole called out, his holographic image lighting up the top of the console.
"Put them through." Cutter ordered.
As Cole nodded, his image was replaced with one of the Republic's clones. Cutter recognized him from the briefing that Lasky had given him. This was Clone Captain Rex of the 501st Legion under the command of General Anakin Skywalker, one of the most respected and elite Clone Troopers in the Republic's army. "Admiral, good to see you." Rex began, standing straight and addressing Cutter in a very formal tone. "We're ready to depart, once the Generals regroup with the SPARTANs."
"Good to hear." Cutter responded, pressing a few holographic keys on his console. "I'll dispatch the transports and bring them aboard."
"Of course, sir." Rex responded. "Hanger Bay doors are opening now."
XXXXX
Kathryn stood with the rest of Fireteam Gamma and Admiral Cutter in Hanger 17 of In Spirit of Fire, watching as the Pelican transports set down on the metallic floor. The two dropships opened their rear doors, allowing the occupants to step onto the massive vessel. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka stepped out of the first vessel, while a squad of four Clone Commandos stepped out of the second. Kathryn sent Ahsoka a small smile as she stepped onto the vessel, earning a surprised look from the young Togruta.
"Welcome aboard." Cutter began, addressing the Jedi and the Clones. "I am Vice-Admiral James Cutter, acting Captain of In Spirit of Fire, and commander of the GC 2nd Expeditionary Fleet here in Andromeda."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Admiral Cutter." Obi-Wan said, giving a bow to the slightly taller, grey-haired Admiral. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, at your service."
"I've heard quite a bit about you three from Lord Lasky." Cutter smiled. "I'm happy to be working with you."
"I assume that your High Command already briefed you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Indeed." Cutter acknowledged with a nod. "Now that you're onboard, we'll be jumping to Mandalore. For the trip, feel free to make yourselves at home here. Since it's a new ship, we're a bit low on living space at the moment, but I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Admiral." Obi-Wan said, bowing his head slightly.
"Of course." Cutter nodded. "SPARTAN Team Gamma can bring you wherever you want to go. For now, I'm needed on the Bridge. I look forward to working with you all." With that, Cutter turned towards the elevator, and made his way back towards the Bridge's lift.
With Cutter having left the Bridge, the three Jedi made their way over to the SPARTAN team, the Clone Commandos standing in their own group. "Well, look who made it back to our Galaxy." Anakin snarked, a grin on his face.
Jane smiled, remembering Anakin's dry sense of humor rather well. "Sorry, got tied up in training the newbies."
Obi-Wan and Alice turned to their own discussions while Ahsoka made her way over to Kathryn, a small smiled on her face. "Kathryn!" Ahsoka said, happily. "I didn't think I'd see you again."
Kathryn smiled. "Good to see you again, Ahsoka. Get a little taller while I was gone?"
Ahsoka rolled her eyes. At least she didn't have to crane her neck upwards to look her SPARTAN partner in the eye anymore. "What were you guys doing in your galaxy?"
"Training the new class of SPARTAN recruits." Kathryn answered. "And bringing some old SPARTANs up to speed."
"I heard rumors that you guys found an old ship from your galaxy on Hoth, is that true?" Ahsoka asked.
"Yep." Kathryn answered. "Admiral Cutter's old ship, Spirit of Fire, was found buried in the ice."
"How'd he get here?" Ahsoka asked, genuinely curious.
"Classified, I'm afraid." Kathryn answered. "How'd the Second Invasion of Geonosis go?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Ahsoka answered, smiling.
"Try me." Kathryn tested.
"We had to fight clones that were taken over by mind-controlling worms."
"Huh…" Kathryn thought for a moment. "Not the strangest thing I've heard, but it's up there. Who're they?" She gestured over to the Commandos that were quietly conversing among themselves, taking in the architecture of the Infinity-Class Dreadnought.
"Those are Clone Commandos." Ahsoka answered. "That's Delta Team. Master Yoda wants them to work more closely with the GC now."
"What now, Alice?" Willow asked, causing everyone to turn their attention to her. "We've got four hours before we arrive at Mandalore."
"Follow me, I'll show you to our quarters." Alice said, receiving a message from Cutter. "We're crunching for space right now, so you three will be sharing arrangements with us for now."
XXXXX
Ahsoka sat in one of the six chairs that decorated the floor of the relatively barebones barracks that Fireteam Gamma called their own. Due to the nature of the S-Deck, none of the barracks sported more than five beds at most, making the situation rather difficult on the SPARTANs when they learned that the Jedi would be sharing quarters with them for the time being. In response, they had set up field cots and cleared out storage space for the three Jedi.
She wasn't quite sure where the SPARTANs and her Master had wandered off to, but she had decided to stay behind and settle in. Absentmindedly looking around the room, something caught her eye. It was a curved handled weapon that she immediately recognized: Ventress' lightsaber. It was sitting on a table in the center of the room, surrounded by various tools. Her curiosity piqued, she made her way over.
It looked like the saber had been tampered with at some point, as the bottom of the hilt was lying next to it, exposing the Kyber Crystal in the core. She had almost forgotten that Alice had denied Ventress one of her blades. The SPARTAN must have kept it as a trophy of sorts. Ahsoka nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the metallic door slide open, immediately turning around to find Kathryn standing on the other side.
Seeing the startled girl, Kathryn immediately smiled. "Sorry, got bored with escorting those two around. Didn't mean to scare you."
"No, you're fine." Ahsoka quickly answered. "I was just… lost in thought."
"Hope the place isn't too cramped." Kathryn said, making her way over to her rack and sitting down. "We pulled a lot of crew from the Naval Academies on Sangheilios and Earth, so we've got a lot of extra crew that are staying here until our Escort Fleet arrives."
"It should be fine." Ahsoka consoled. "It's roomier than my room in the Jedi Temple or the Endurance."
Nodding, Kathryn called her Light Rifle into real-space, the Forerunner Alloy weapon assembling itself in her hands. She pulled the components apart, letting them float freely as she examined them and cleaned the internals of the rifle.
Ahsoka watched as the SPARTAN fiddled with the various, strange components of her rifle. "What're you doing?" She asked.
"Pre-mission equipment check." Kathryn answered, sliding the focusing component of her rifle back into place. "Standard procedure, it's drilled into our heads on Reach."
"That's where you SPARTANs are trained, right?" Ahsoka asked, sitting down in one of the chairs.
"Yep." Kathryn answered, sliding the outer cover of the rifle back in place before tossing it back into Slipspace. After pulling her Hard Light Bolter out of the Slipstream, she spoke up again. "It's good to be back out here. As much as I enjoy my mother doting over me, I'd rather be on the front."
"Do you at least get to see your family often?" Ahsoka asked.
"Not really…" Kathryn answered, working on her handgun. "With me being a SPARTAN, my father being a General, and my mother being on the Ark, we don't see each other often."
"What's the Ark?" Ahsoka asked. She had heard some GC soldiers reference it before, but she had no clue what it was.
"It's the seat of government." Kathryn answered. "A massive installation on the edge of the Milky Way, guarded by one of the largest fleets in history." She reached out with one hand, calling her armored gauntlet into existence. The metallic gauntlet assembled itself on the table in the center of the room, the Hard Light projector in the palm creating a small image of Installation 00.
"Whoa…" Ahsoka said, looking at the small projection. "How big is that thing?"
"Just under a hundred-thirty thousand kilometers in diameter." Kathryn answered. "Built by the Forerunners, repurposed by the GC. It's the second-largest artificial object ever built by the Forerunners."
"What could be bigger than that thing?" Ahsoka wondered.
"Dyson Spheres." Kathryn answered. "Giant shells built around stars to draw energy and provide space for people to live on. Generally speaking, Forerunner Dyson Spheres were around two Astronomical Units in diameter."
Ahsoka's eyes went wide at the very concept. The very idea of something being so large was absolutely stunning. Physically, it should be impossible, but so should almost every piece of GC technology. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have believed it, but she had no reason to distrust the SPARTAN. "That's… insane…"
"And we're building even larger ones now." Kathryn added. "The Forerunners left us a fantastic springboard for our technology. Realistically speaking, we're already centuries ahead of the Forerunner Ecumene at the height of its power. The diversity of species we have helps with that, too."
Before Ahsoka could comment, the ship-wide intercom buzzed to life, Cutter's voice reverberating throughout the vessel. "All hands, we will be arriving over Mandalore in thirty minutes. Ground Teams report to Hanger 17 for departure."
"That's our cue." Kathryn said, standing up and tossing her handgun back into Slipspace. As she did so, her armor shifted out of the void to assemble itself over her body. She left the helmet in the slipstream for now.
XXXXX
Kathryn jolted in her seat as the Pelican touched down on the landing pad on the edge of Mandalore's capital city. As the rear door opened, the thick, scorching air flooded into the dropship. Kathryn had heard rumors about what had reduced Mandalore to a scorching wasteland, and none of it was very appealing. An entire warrior culture beaten down to the point of becoming pacifistic. It was a harrowing, and very familiar tale for most Humans of the Milky Way.
As the SPARTANs, Cutter, and Jedi descended the ramp, they were met by a guard sporting the ornate armor of the Mandalorian Honor Guard. "Welcome to Mandalore, Master Jedi, Admiral Cutter." The Guard spoke from behind his metallic helmet. "The Duchess awaits you."
"Far be it from us to keep the Duchess waiting." Obi-Wan said, smirking.
After boarding an open-topped land speeder, the guard keyed a location into the navigation system, sending the vehicle forward into the city. The vast, blocky expanse of buildings interconnected with the dome structure that kept out the harmful solar radiation gave the Mandalorian capital a very… familiar feel for the Milky Way natives.
After landing before a large, ornate structure, they were led inside by the Mandalorian honor guard. The internals of the palace were glassy, allowing the natural light to filter in. Rays of light glanced off of the reflective surfaces of the stone floor. At the far end of the room sat a throne of sorts, the back of which reached to the ceiling.
"General Kenobi…" A voice called out from somewhere to the left, the acoustics of the throne room creating an echo effect. Everyone glanced over, spotting a rather tall man with greying hair, dressed in formal white and gold robes.
"Thank you for meeting with us, Prime Minister Almec." Kenobi said, shaking the older man's hand as he approached.
"I welcome you all as a servant of the people." Almec said, looking to the Jedi, SPARTANs, and Cutter. "However… I am troubled by the false rumors that brought you here. Mandalore would never turn against the Republic. Duchess Satine values peace more than her own life."
"Oh, I'm quite aware of the Duchess' views." Kenobi said, the slightest hint of sarcasm behind his words.
"Master Kenobi, Mandalore's violent past is far behind us." Almec responded, turning to face the Jedi Master. "All of our warriors were exiled to our moon, they died out years ago."
"You exiled your warriors?" Cutter interjected. "Based on what?"
"Whether or not they would lay down their arms and accept peace." Almec explained.
"Hmm…" Cutter hummed in response.
"General Keobi…" All eyes turned to the Duchess, wearing her ornate blue dress and up-done hair adorned with decorative pieces fitted into the neckline of her dress. "My shining Jedi Knight come to the rescue again."
Anakin glanced over to his Master, an eyebrow raised. Obi-Wan pointedly ignored this. "After all of these years, you're as beautiful as ever, Duchess."
"Kind words from a man who accuses me of treachery." Satine snapped.
"I am not accusing you of personal wrongdoing, Duchess." Obi-Wan recovered, shifting the conversation back onto the topic at hand. "One of the military bases occupied by both the Galactic Coalition and the Republic was attacked by a Mandalorian saboteur." Obi-Wan accented his point by revealing a Holocom, activating it and displaying security footage of the figure in Mandalorian armor.
"I have a difficult time believing this…" Almec spoke up. "Where is this prisoner now? No Mandalorian would engage in such violence."
"He killed himself, rather than submit to our forces." Alice answered.
"Every one of my people is as trustworthy as I am." Satine declared, glaring down Cutter, the SPARTANs, and Obi-Wan. "Clearly, the Senate ordered this investigation because you lot are interested in intervening in our affairs."
"This investigation was ordered by the Jedi Council and GC High Command." Cutter retorted, cutting the Duchess off.
"Hmm… I stand corrected." Satine relented. "General Kenobi, perhaps we could take a walk through the city?" She held her hand out, expectantly.
"Of course, Duchess." Obi-Wan responded, walking over to her throne, taking her hand, and helping her down the stairs.
"The rest of you are free to roam the city… under guard." Satine declared, looking to the Jedi, SPARTANs, and Cutter.
XXXXX
"Kat, are you in position?" Alice asked, the sound of shrieking and surprised civilians coming over her end of the communication.
"Copy." Kathryn responded, forming her Light Rifle in her hands.
"Do you have the target?" Alice asked.
"Copy, bald man running from Kenobi." Kathryn responded. With a deep, slow release of breath and a methodical trigger pull, a bolt of Hard Light streaked through the dry air of Mandalore, spearing through the man's leg. "Confirmed hit." Kathryn called into her communicator.
"As much as I appreciate the overwatch, SPARTANs, you've startled the locals." Obi-Wan's voice crackled to life over the comms. "Get down here."
Kathryn sighed, keying her armor's Slipspace module. A portal opened up just in front of her, allowing her to step through. After the short "dip" into the immaterial realm of Slipspace, she landed on metallic boots just beside Obi-Wan, the rest of Gamma joining her a moment later.
Alice landed beside her Jedi counterpart, looking over her shoulder at the sound of footfalls. She saw Duchess Satine running over, a look of surprise and disgust in her eye as she saw the man's bloodied leg, mangled by the bolt of Hard Light from Kathryn's rifle.
Kathryn saw the wounded man reach into his pocket with a trembling hand, revealing the grip of a compact blaster pistol. With no hesitation, she raised her rifle and fired again, this time striking him through the forehead, burning a hole clean through. The bolt splashed harmlessly against the metal ground after passing through his skull. All of the SPARTANs heard the terrified cries of civilians that were watching from the upper level.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Satine demanded, storming over to Obi-Wan and the four SPARTANs.
"The SPARTANs were doing their duty." Obi-Wan answered. "This is the man that planted the bomb."
"And the answer was to kill him?" Satine asked.
"Soldiers weigh the value of every life they take, Duchess." Alice answered, turning around and ordering her helmet back into the Slipstream.
"Who are you to judge the value of life, Soldier?" Satine asked.
"That's quite enough." Obi-Wan intervened. "The SPARTANs were acting in your defense, as well as my own. It's obviously not safe here, we should return to the Palace."
"I agree…" Satine said, turning on a heel and motioning for her guards to follow.
XXXXX
"Duchess, the most sensible course of action would be for you to come to Coruscant and plead your case to the Senate." Obi-Wan explained.
"I have SPARTANs that are more than capable of investigating the threat on your moon." Cutter added. "If this sympathizer to the Death Watch really was from Concordia, then it's our best starting point. SPARTAN Fireteam Ares can remain here while In Spirit of Fire escorts the diplomatic vessel to Coruscant."
"Are you proposing a military occupation, Admiral?" Almec asked.
"Four SPARTANs is hardly an occupation." Cutter retorted. "They would report any findings to your government first, the GC and Republic second."
"Very well… I'll go to Coruscant." Satine relented. "I expect any findings from your men to be reported to me immediately."
"I'll make the arrangements." Cutter agreed.
XXXXX
Ahsoka watched Kathryn sit down on the edge of her bunk, her hair damp from her recent shower. She had exchanged her normal black full-body suit for the basic white fatigues that all GC personnel are issued. "Master Kenobi looked uncomfortable when we got back here." Ahsoka commented, happy that he and Anakin were on the diplomatic vessel with the Duchess.
"No kidding…" Kathryn responded, pulling her boots on. "You could practically feel the sexual tension."
"Wait… what?" Ahsoka asked.
"You couldn't see it?" Kathryn asked. "Just the way they talked to each other."
Ahsoka actually managed a laugh. "So I'm not the only one who felt that?"
"Oh god, no." Kathryn responded, smiling. "Willow and Jane wouldn't stop laughing about it over the neural network we all share."
Ahsoka smiled. "The Duchess sure is… interesting."
Kathryn shrugged. "She's an idealist… a very arrogant idealist."
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked.
"Apparently she doesn't know that SPARTANs have augmented senses." Kathryn answered. "Alice and I overheard her venting to the Prime Minister about how we were 'little more than mindless killers encased in shiny metal armor'."
"I disagree with her on that, definitely." Ahsoka commented. "You're soldiers, not murderers."
"To her, those seem to be one in the same." Kathryn said, leaning against the metal wall next to her bunk. "She seems to think that fanatics can be reasoned with."
"You don't think that there's a diplomatic solution to their issue?" Ahsoka asked.
"The entire history of my species tells me that the only solution to the Death Watch issue is an army, not an idealist." Kathryn answered. "She thinks that she can reason with fanatics, when she's such a fanatical pacifist that she isn't open to reason herself. Not to say that the Republic should intervene, of course. That would only lend legitimacy to the Death Watch's cause and turn them from terrorists to freedom fighters. This matter should be left to Mandalore."
"I think your true calling might me politics, Kathryn." Ahsoka said with a laugh.
Kathryn laughed. "Ugh… I'll leave that stuff to my mother. I can't stomach most politicians."
"What is your last name, Kat?" Ahsoka asked, genuinely curious. "I've known you for a while, and I still don't know your last name."
"Lockhart." Kathryn answered. "Kathryn Miranda Lockhart."
Ahsoka processed this information for a moment. "Wait… Like… President Lockhart?"
Kathryn smiled. "The same one."
"Whoa…" Ahsoka said, stunned. "I'm friends with the GC President's daughter…"
Kathryn shrugged. "I don't tell people my last name for that exact reason. People get so caught up in my name that they don't even bother looking at me."
"It's just cool." Ahsoka said, smiling. "Lockhart or not, you're still my friend."
"Thanks, Ahsoka." Kathryn smiled.
XXXXX
Aiter'Vadum stood on his platform in the Senate chambers, watching the proceedings with a clinical eye. To the veteran Sangheili warrior, it was no surprise that this galaxy was so dysfunctional. There were so many species, all of them pushing their own individual agendas in the Senate in regards to this war. It was a wonder that over 1500 worlds had managed to stay neutral with all of this bickering and backstabbing that took place in these chambers. He was currently watching the Chancellor indirectly accuse a pacifist of raising an army to assist the enemy.
"You would strip our right to self-determination!" Duchess Satine declared, watching the Senate's agreeing murmurs roll throughout the chambers at the prospect of an occupation of Mandalore.
"It's quite clear that the Death Watch is a far greater threat than we anticipated." Palpatine answered the Duchess' cry. "A threat of this magnitude can only be answered with a peacekeeping force."
Aiter had watched these proceedings for the better part of four hours, and the slow grind was starting to wear down on his carefully-honed nerves. With a quick, graceful swipe to the control console, his platform drifted toward the center of the chambers, all eyes turning to the towering Sangheili. The Senate fell into silence for the first time in hours as the Sangheili began speaking, his voice carrying out even over the Chancellor's usually subdued tone. "It is quite clear that the Senate is divided on this matter, and rightfully so." He began, looking around the Chambers. "It is rather alarming to see this democratic institution calling for the occupation of a neutral system. The establishment of a military presence on Mandalore, a world located dangerously close to the constantly-shifting front of this conflict, would make it a prime target for the Separatists to strike against."
"The occupation of a neutral, peaceful people goes directly against our Mantle of Responsibility. It is for this reason that if the Republic Senate elects to establish a military presence on Mandalore for 'peacekeeping', then the Galactic Coalition will lend no forces to this endeavor."
"You claim to be our partner in this conflict, yet you will not help us keep the peace here?" The Kaminoan Senator asked, her accusatory tone calling out to Aiter.
"Our goal in this galaxy is to bring an end to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, not occupy worlds." Aiter countered, keeping a cool and collected tone. He had learned that the best way to get under the skin of the Senators was to keep calm, and it was a weakness that he had exploited on several occasions. "This goal is not accomplished by stationing soldiers that could be dispatched to the front on a peaceful world. It is accomplished by striking at the heart of your foe."
"You must understand, Field Marshall…" Palpatine began, looking to the Sangheili. "Wars are not as… asymmetric and flexible as they are with your technology. We are limited by hyperspace lanes, making it impossible to make a direct jump to the heart of Separatist space."
"Limitations imposed by your technological basis are hardly an excuse for occupation of a world, much less a peaceful one." Aiter answered. "The Coalition's stance on the matter will remain."
"Very well, Field Marshall…" Palpatine responded. "The Republic will respect the Coalition's desire to remain separate from the peacekeeping efforts on Mandalore. We will hold the vote on this matter in the next session of the Senate."
XXXXX
Kathryn sighed as she stepped out of the Senate Chambers with Ahsoka and Padme. She had spectated on the talks from the sidelines with Ahsoka. Anakin met up with the trio near the exit of the Naboo platform, walking alongside them towards the exit of the Senate building. "Anakin, you should convince the Jedi Council to meet with Chancellor Palpatine and try to prevent this!"
"You know that's not my role, Padme." Anakin responded, shrugging.
"Why not?" Ahsoka asked. "We're Jedi Knights, isn't it our job to advise the Chancellor on matters like this?"
"Didn't I ask you to teach Ahsoka about politics, Padme?" Anakin asked, a small smile on his face.
"I was hoping this Senate meeting would teach her more than I could with a few words."
"I didn't learn anything, honestly…" Ahsoka admitted. "The Senate spent more time talking about how to prolong the war rather than end it."
"War's complicated, Ahsoka." Anakin explained. "The Separatists believe that the Republic is corrupt, which would make them wrong, and it's the duty of the Jedi to restore order to the galaxy."
"Restore order by occupying neutral worlds?" Padme asked, looking to Anakin with a cocked eyebrow. "C'mon Ahsoka."
"Where are you going?" Anakin asked, seeing Ahsoka and the SPARTAN start following Padme towards the exit.
"You wanted me to teach Ahsoka about politics, so that's what I'm going to do." Padme answered, smirking.
XXXXX
Padme sighed, looking out to the skyline of Coruscant longingly. "If only I could talk with Senator Bonteri…" Padme said, turning around to look at Ahsoka and Kathryn, who were standing in her office, waiting for Padme to pick up the lapse in conversation.
"Who's that?" Ahsoka asked.
"A senator in the CIS…" Padme answered.
"Your friend's a Separatist?" Kathryn asked.
"I was close with many of the Separatists that left the Republic, especially her. Contrary to what the Senate and the media would have you think, they're far more than simple pawns."
"Well, if you think that negotiation is the right thing to do, let's talk to her." Ahsoka suggested.
"The Senate's made it illegal. Official meetings would legitimize the CIS." Padme explained.
"It's a shame you can't hold more peaceful talks…" Ahsoka lamented.
"Like you'd know about 'peaceful', Miss 'aggressive negotiations.'" Kathryn joked, earning a smile from Padme and Ahsoka.
Padme's smile suddenly turned more serious as a thought struck her. "That gives me an idea…" Padme began, turning to Ahsoka. "You're a Jedi, which gives you special clearance…"
"Right…" Ahsoka nodded, beckoning Padme to continue.
"And Jedi are allowed to travel to neutral worlds like Mandalore, where we could board a cargo ship for Separatist space." Padme finished.
"Are you suggesting that I use my status as a Jedi to smuggle you behind enemy lines?"
"It's just that… You could get me through to meet with her, and I haven't seen her or her family in so long…"
"Relax, I'll help you." Ahsoka soothed Padme's nerves. "I think Kat's in too."
"If I can get clearance from Admiral Cutter, you can count me in." Kathryn said, nodding. "Even if the talks fail, the intel would be a huge gain for our efforts."
"Alright…" Ahsoka smiled. "Where we heading?"
"Raxus." Padme explained, gesturing for Ahsoka and Kathryn to follow her.
XXXXX
"Let me make sure I'm understanding you, SPARTAN Kathryn…" Cutter began, leaning against the back of his chair as he addressed the SPARTAN and Jedi Padawan before him. "You're asking for my clearance to undertake an operation deep behind enemy lines, an operation that could very well see your death or capture in the event that you walk into a trap?"
"Yes, sir." Kathryn answered, nodding. "The intelligence we could gain from this operation would serve our future operations against Separatist assets well."
"I'm not disagreeing with that point, SPARTAN, what concerns me is your safety." Cutter redirected. "I understand that the fifth generation SPARTAN Program is… leaps and bounds greater than the second generation that I am familiar with, but this operation has a certain risk that concerns me. The capture or killing of a SPARTAN behind enemy lines could severely damage our relations with the Republic, especially if this operation is kept secret from the Supreme Chancellor and Republic Military Command. Our treaty dictates that our forces are to work together, not separate."
"Sir, permission to speak freely?" Kathryn asked.
"Granted, SPARTAN." Cutter nodded.
"The Senate is prolonging this war intentionally." Kathryn explained. "Instead of focusing on the more… domestic matters such as the Republic's crumbling economy, they're commissioning contracts for millions more clones. The Republic's army has already tripled in size since the arrival of the Coalition, and the contracts that were signed in recent Senate hearings have doubled that number again. This, along with the recent motion to occupy the neutral Mandalore system sets a dangerous precedent. This is no fault of the Senators, it's a belief that the Separatists cannot be reasoned with or negotiated with. If we were to prove that this was not the case, peace talks could begin and we could see a peaceful end to this conflict."
Cutter seemed thoughtful, eyeing the SPARTAN up as if he were evaluating her words alongside her very being. "You're right…" He relented. "The UNSC found itself in a similar situation during the Human-Covenant War. We thought the species of the Covenant mindless animals, and wrote off negotiations. Thankfully, we were wrong, and I believe that the Senate is wrong in their assumptions." With a heavy sigh, Cutter began again. "I'm clearing the mission, but the slightest sign of danger and I'm pulling you out, is that understood?"
"Aye, sir." Kathryn nodded.
"Good…" Cutter stood upright again. "I'm giving you clearance for this operation, as well as the necessary clearance to deactivate your Neural Lance's tracking module. I'll have Fireteam Gamma informed, but this operation will be placed under GCOMI jurisdiction."
"Thank you, sir." Kathryn gave a quick salute, which Cutter returned.
"Good luck, SPARTAN." Cutter smirked. "Mantle guide you."
A/N:
A bit of a shorter chapter, merging two arcs from the Clone Wars into one. Expect the story to take a very sharp turn away from Star Wars canon very soon. I've got several ideas to bring some more… EU elements into the story.
If anyone's at all interested, I've set up a Discord server for anyone that wants to play games, shitpost, talk about stuff, or just hang out. You can find the link to it on my bio page here on FF. I've been trying to set aside time to play some games with readers in-between writing, work, and being a GM for a Shadowrun campaign. Hopefully I can get that working soon.
As always,
-TallYapflip
