"Okay if someone pulled a stupid move they're going to regret it. Portland to Soketh do you know what happened?"
"A little busy Portland"
Ashland heard the sound of battle through the commbadge and Ashland realized there was trouble that she couldn't do anything about because she was separated from the trouble
"Oddball try and find another path to that battle and make sure to save your shots until otherwise needed because I have a feeling it's going to be needed"
Fifteen minutes later Ashland was in the thick of fighting still separated from Soketh and a few others because of the fact that the enemy was doing their best to eradicate everyone they could. After an hour the battles all over the base were finished and Ashland finally figured out what had happened to the team manning the Hoth base
"So that's what happened"
"Yes, they were dead before we arrived, looks like they were noticing strange signals and were trying to identify what they were, they were starting to send out a signal stating that there was trouble but they couldn't finish the code"
"Thus the reason why the signal was so off even to the Captain"
"Exactly, we've found all the bodies and everyone is accounted for"
"Very well, let's get back to the New Hope and then report to the Senate"
"Why the New Hope first?"
"Easy because the Captain was the first person to question what was going on so he deserves to find out what we discovered first"
"You're right he does deserve that honor unlike the Senate"
"Easy officer, I'm not exactly happy with the Senate at the moment either but I know better than you the multiple reasons why they wouldn't listen to the Captain and told him what they did"
"But..."
"Officer I would suggest you cool it immediately I am your superior in this situation and you are still new to the Republic so you have little idea of what the Senate deals with on a regular basis"
"Oh like you're any better?, you haven't been home in several years"
"Except I understand Republic politics better because I lived here for a long time before moving to the Federation, plus I know a bit more about a situation then you do now then, get all the information you can from the computers and then...then let's destroy this place so that should the enemy come back they can't use this place against us"
"Will the Republic be able to rebuild this place quickly?"
"No, once we use the explosives I'm thinking of using there will be a cave-in which means it would be extremely difficult for the Republic to rebuild afterwords"
"But isn't Hoth an important base Sentinel?"
"Yes it is, but I think they would rather have it destroyed then used by the enemy"
"Understood Portland"
"Soketh, one more thing, the items in the Jedi only sections are to be destroyed as well"
"But wouldn't they be more useful against the trouble that's headed our way?"
"Normally I would say yes but this time...this time they might just work against us instead"
"Why?"
Ashland doesn't answer verbally though instead she used the Force to project images to Soketh's mind involving a similar event in the Federation and what had happened when they took the weapons with them instead of destroying them
"I understand, don't worry I'll make sure they're destroyed, but can I at least save basic medical supplies?"
"Sorry but since we have no clue if the enemy did something to it..."
"Understood"
Ten minutes later everyone was outside awaiting Ashland's order, however she first did something that would surprise everyone but Soketh because he understood her frame of mind. They didn't know it at the time but when Soketh showed Ashland what she had missed during her time in captivity Soketh was shown a deeper history of the Republic then what he had been told after he had taken the training to become a Sentinel. Ashland used her fire abilities to melt enough snow to protect the bodies of the fallen base members and Soketh used his water abilities to freeze the melted snow fast enough so that you could see the bodies, after that the two of them used the Force to remove the bodies from the base and only then did Ashland give the signal to a clone to blow the base up
"We'll have to leave their bodies here temporarily, but we'll make sure that they aren't found by anyone but us and we'll come back for them so that they can have a proper burial"
"Let's go home then"
"Agreed let's go home"
Two hours later they were back at Coruscant and since the Captain had been in a meeting with the Senate about a few things he was on the planet's surface which meant that Ashland simply met her Captain at the Senate building and gave her report there
"When are we going to inform the Senate that they were wrong?"
(Sighs) "I'm honestly not sure Captain, technically we should inform them tomorrow but that's not going to be possible"
"Why not?"
"They won't be meeting for the next four days, think of it as a weekend holiday slightly extended, you see it was discovered that in times of extreme stress like war that everyone gets fatigued mentally and emotionally from talking about nothing but battles and what is needed to be done. If something major happens that affects the Republic immediately an emergency session will be called but all that will be done at that session is discussions of how to handle the immediate crises so we would still have to wait at least a day before giving our report"
"Understood Portland, what about the bodies of the people manning the base?"
"Don't worry Soketh and I made sure that they couldn't be found and desecrated by either the enemy or the native wildlife"
"Good"
"Now then there are a few things I need to discuss with you and then I think I'm going to go to the Temple and see if anyone will spar with me, I need a better opponent then just holograms"
"It will also give them a chance to get used to phasers because even though we have to deal with Separatists at the moment we can never forget the six year time line we're on"
"True, but I actually think I'm going to handle that as two separate things because the enemy won't have access to a lightsaber"
"Good point"
"Sentinel Portland there's one thing I want to discuss with you before you leave for the Temple as well"
"What would that be?"
"Why you reacted the way you did when I mentioned clone battle plan Delta 339"
"Because I always hated that plan, it's why you're forbidden from using it in my presence"
"But why do you hate it?"
(Sighs) "I don't think I can explain it to you without showing you something, a video file not from the Clone Wars which ultimately killed off the Jedi when the Republic turned to an Empire but another file, a file that is hidden so deep not many people even know about forget about getting access to it"
"Wait Portland are you saying that clone battle plan Delta 339 is a variation of that plan?"
"If by that plan you're thinking about the Baristal situation then yes I am"
"No wonder you don't like the plan then"
"Thought you would understand"
"Why do I get the feeling we're missing something here?"
"Because you are, and while the clones that are coming after you will have a history of the Federation inserted into their training from the beginning, even they won't know precise information about a lot of missions even if it's pertinent to the mission they are currently on, at the most they will have basic information in their heads so that they can hopefully survive"
"Why only basic information? I also wonder about hearing about the missions at all if they won't be allowed specifics of certain missions"
"It's...complicated Wrecker and delves into politics you guys simply wouldn't understand to save your life"
"Oh and you do?"
"Well I have a better understanding then most people in this room, I have to have the level of understanding that I do I wouldn't have survived my first two years without getting to the level I'm currently at if I hadn't learned. I also understand Republic politics better than you guys because again I have to know otherwise I would be useless to both the Republic and Federation, especially now because I have to make both sides understand very subtle differences between a few laws in both galaxies that are way too similar to each other for my tastes"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Let's just say that it's a good thing I was with the Admiralty when I made most of my goofs"
"They get you out of trouble those times?"
"Not fully no, but they were able to explain things to me in a way I would understand after any punishment I was given, they were also able to explain things to those I insulted in some way in a way they too would understand, especially in the early days because of a conference that happened shortly after I arrived. If you've read my history you might recall hearing about a mental breakdown that made everyone take a three month break, well during that enforced break there was a conference that all the Admiralty had to be part of so I went with them hoping I would get a better understanding of my new home. By the end of it both I and the Admiralty had apologized to 2/3 of the ambassadors and their aids while the other 1/3 had either managed to tell somehow just how new I was or simply ignored it to the point that they didn't even mention they were insulted after they got back to their homes"
"Thus your very rough introduction to Federation politics"
"Exactly though I have to say my intro to Republic politics was even rougher"
"How could it have been rougher than the Federation?"
"I got three words for you brink of war"
"Okay that doesn't actually explain things"
"Okay in the Federation the conference was a simple conference that allowed people to update trade agreements or peace treaties and the like with each other and the king, there was also science and medical information passed out this time too if I recall correctly, so basically an easy conference didn't even need to use my phaser. In the Republic however my Master and I had to listen to the Senators after we got back to Coruscant after she rescued me and three different planets were only weeks away from full scaled war if not for the intervention of the Senate"
"Okay the Republic story wins, now then you said something about a video?"
"Yes and then I really do have a few things to discuss with you Captain before I get in some sparring with fellow Jedi that may or may not have sparred with me before depending on who's there, heck I may decide to spar a few of the new Council members just to judge how things currently are"
"New Council members?"
(Sighs) "Captain think about it and you'll understand why I know about it when you don't"
"Of course I forgot that stipulation after you were reunited with the Republic"
"Stipulation?"
"Yeah, there's a lot that people don't know when it comes to what happened after the Texas accidentally wound up in Republic space, everyone has access to the basic history because that's what started the alliance between the Republic and Federation but there's a lot that went on behind the scenes that no one else knows because it's either too dangerous or in regards to what I know about the Council is only pertinent to me as a Sentinel who started their training in the Republic, all Republic born Sentinel's are actually required to know of any changes in the Council immediately"
"Why not the Federation born Sentinel's? I thought that they reported to the Council just like the Republic born Sentinel's"
Soketh is the one to speak up
"While it is important I know of any changes within the Council as soon as possible we Federation born Sentinel's don't have quite as deep a connection to the Republic and as such they can wait to inform us for about a week before we absolutely have to know about any changes in the Council. It takes about that long to personally inform each Republic born Sentinel anyways"
"But isn't that playing favoritism?"
"Actually it isn't Captain, because sometimes there might be things going on that the Council reports at the same time as a Council member change that is only pertinent to those that grew up in the Republic because we understand the geography if not exactly the politics better than those Federation born"
"And while a Federation born Sentinel should know the going on's of the Republic as well because we never grew up in the Republic it takes a little longer to explain certain things to us and the Council needs time to figure out appropriate analogies and what not so that those born in the Federation have the same understanding of the situation as those in the Republic"
"Oh that makes sense then"
"Now then like I said I have a few things to discuss with you, I have a video to show the clones and then I really need that spar"
"No kidding, for some reason I can feel your emotions Portland and they're close to exploding"
Ashland turns to Soketh in surprise and speaks up
"How can you?..." (groans) "never mind I think I know what happened"
"What are you two talking about?"
Both of them answer their Captain at the same time with the same words too
"Now now Captain"
Ashland then made sure to show the clones the video she was talking about and they truly understood why she hated the suicide plan after that. Once that was done she talked to the Captain about a few issues that had popped up in regards to the Hoth mission, issues she realized needed to be resolved before they took on any more missions
"If they don't get that training then who knows what could happen in the future Captain, especially if Federation drugs are all that's available"
"I understand and will see what can be done about it, now then if you still feel like you need a spar in the Temple I would suggest you do so"
"Thanks, I might actually stay for a few days depending on both the Force and what I feel they need some training on, but never forget that I know my duties to Starfleet are primary so if you need to call me back call me back"
"Don't worry I will, though if we're requested for a mission depending on what it is we might pass that information on to the Council and let them choose Jedi to accompany us and they'll be the ones to inform you then"
"Okay"
"And Portland, I have a feeling that there are things you need to work out by being in the Temple but don't forget that we have councilors available if you need them"
"You've noticed?"
"Yes I have"
(Sighs) "I would take up your advice Captain but unfortunately even though we have trained councilors who know how to help Sentinel's this is a bit more complicated than what our councilor can handle, one of the reasons why I need that spar and time at the Temple is to see if I need to talk to the Council about what's been going on lately"
"Your reason for lack of sleep, even if it doesn't exactly show which means you've been doing the forbidden meditation technique again haven't you?"
"I haven't Captain, but I have other tricks in my book to make sure that I have enough sleep and if I haven't for some reason still look well rested"
"Fine, but if I find out you've lied to me about the forbidden meditation technique..."
"Oh I already know that I would be in big trouble"
"Exactly, now get going"
So Ashland soon arrived at the Temple and she got in her spar with a Master who wasn't part of the Council but one she had never fought before. The next day she started fighting with other fellow Jedi getting in some training time, both her teaching them a few things and them teaching her a few things, and after she fought three different Council members who could sense she was struggling with something she realized that she didn't need to talk to the Council after all, just being in the presence of the Masters helped her resolve some emotions she hadn't been able to resolve about the Hoth mission. Over the next week Ashland trained with the lightsaber and then she decided it was time to teach some of the younger Padawans who were only in their first or second year as a Padawan the basics of the phaser while older Padawans and Knights were going to get a more intense experience. With the Knights and older Padawans
"Okay, the enemy will have this set to kill but I never will, however this will be set to the highest level of stun and it might knock you out cold, this is to teach you how to avoid the weapon if at all possible but you know as well as I do that it might not be"
"What about Starfleet?"
"There are still ships arriving as we speak, in fact I actually sense a new ship entering Republic space now but don't forget several are either staying behind willingly or by force so that a resistance can start up, and we also have to deal with the Separatist issue at the moment because that's a more immediately concern"
"Understood Portland"
So Ashland spends time teaching them everything she could about avoiding phaser fire and also how to deflect it if they absolutely couldn't avoid it, though she knew that there would still be losses. Then one day she was called to a meeting with the Council and as soon as she was inside the room she understood why she was needed