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

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

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

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

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

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

… Oh right spoilers on that one.

Anyway, in we go.

~O~

CORUSCA SECTOR, CORUSCANT SYSTEM – CORUSCANT, OUTER ORBIT PERIMETER

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

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

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

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

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

"Of course, sir."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What? Then which is it—"

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

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

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

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

MCS AVALANCHE

DETRAHE DEOS IGNI ET TONITRU

"That, Commander Cody… Is our flagship."

-O-

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

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

Until now, that is.

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

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

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

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!"

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

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

"At once, ma'am."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Well, back to the chaos…"

-O-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And the data we pulled on them?"

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

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

"Aye-aye, ma'am."

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

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

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

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

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

"Small mercies…"

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

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

"Wait wait wait, hold that phone."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Of course, commander."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Alert, incoming message from Golem Unit."

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

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

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

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

"Gentlemen… We're in business."

-O-

CORUSCANT'S SURFACE – JEDI TEMPLE, NORTHERN HANGAR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes, sir."

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

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

"Yes, master…"

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

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

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

"May the winds and tides favor you all."

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

-O-

One day later…

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

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

Something he dearly necessitated at this moment.

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

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

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

The implications were… Quite troubling.

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

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

"At once, master."

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

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

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

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

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

"Describe it then, apprentice."

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

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

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

"As if they were removed from the world."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"… Of course, master."

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

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

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

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

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

No matter what variable… The Sith would be victorious.

-O-

Two days later…

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

"Being back in the dress blues is weird…"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"For fuck's sake…"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Esteemed senators, thank you for your presence," began Palpatine, sweeping his arms in a theatrical but calculated gesture, enough to earn the silence from the rest of the gathered delegates. "We have many items and points to cover in today's agenda, so let us move swiftly with the beginning of this meeting."

"But first, I would like to announce that the Republic has earned yet another ally in this terrible, tragic war, and who shall help us put an end to this conflict."

His words, of course, also had the desired effect. Not seconds after Palpatine said his piece, muttering broke out between the senators present, especially amidst the ones Elyse recently learned had connections to the Separatists. And indeed, as she scanned the crowds for said senators, one of the platforms broke free from the wall and floated forward, carrying aboard it a group of slug-like humanoid aliens dressed in paradoxically elegant robes.

"If this so-said "ally" is related to the military fleet that has been allowed onto Coruscant, then we indeed demand answers!" angrily shouted the slug-man, his cohorts joining in with equally infuriated words and gestures of their own. "And if the rumors are to be believed, a fleet of mercenaries no less! Has the Republic become so depraved as to allow hired guns onto its capital?!"

"You would doubt the capability of the Grand Army's fleets to protect our homeworld?" asked aloud another senator, a tall, elderly-looking white humanoid with a long neck and vaguely square-shaped head. "Have the Separatists grown so complacent as to believe that a mercenary band has any chance to lay any harm upon Coruscant, the Republic's most well-guarded world?"

And once more, the arguments sparked anew, only this time the Republic-aligned senators joined the cacophony of shouting and barking as the chamber descended into chaos, all of it witnessed by Padmé, Bail, Elyse and Azrael.

"What a fucking mess…" muttered the commander in light disgust as she adjusted her officer's cap. Beside her, Azrael gave a mirthful chuckle, and calmly fiddled with his mask.

"Politics have little difference with the battlefield, commander… Except, of course, for the lack of firearms."

"Sure would fix the noise problem fast if we could use ours…"

"Of course the Separatists would try to rile this into an incident…" spoke Padmé sadly, one hand softly clenched and raised against her chest. "It's not enough that we have the war raging already…"

Any further posturing or philosophizing over the occurrence was ended when one voice somehow rose above all others, and its source was the man with blue skin and horns standing beside Chancellor Palpatine.

"The chair has not recognized neither the Trade Federation nor the Kaminoan Ruling Council's senators!" shouted Mas Amedda, the Chagrian repeatedly banging his staff against the floor of the podium. "There will be order in this building!" His outrage was quickly put to an end, however, when Palpatine raised his hands into the air, alongside the tone of his voice, somehow also sounding above the arguing just like his aide before him.

"Senators! There is no need for hostility among us!" said the elder aloud, his brow furrowed in what could be either annoyance or anger. "We are not here to discuss the capabilities of our Navy nor of the Republic's military policies." With his part said, the Chancellor waited until silence settled once more before relaxing his stance yet again, his expression returning to its placid state. "However, we shall address all of your questions regarding the arrival of this unknown fleet upon our planet. And for that, I have invited a member of said fleet as an envoy to this meeting, so they may offer answers to whatever questions you may hold."

Show time.

Elyse's posture straightened the tiniest bit as the platform came free from the wall and hovered forward into the empty space of the chamber, lazily hovering around the main spire as she and Azrael stepped onto the platform's podium, both of them keenly aware of the many eyes now focused on them, chief of them being those slug-like aliens… And Palpatine himself. So, with one last calming sigh, Elyse let that old sensation of calm and centering wash over her, before raising her head to face the masses. "Greetings, to all senators. I am Commander Elyse, of the Frontier Militia's Fifth Fleet, Sentinel Corps. With me is captain Azrael Durandal, one of my subordinates. I stand here as a representative of both the Militia, and of the men and women under my command."

Her tone was, of course, calm and collected. She had gone over scenarios like this back home, hundreds of them, over and over, all part of her training and upbringing. Today, it was finally paying off.

"And to which government is this… Militia affiliated?" asked the slug alien once more, his voice dripping with both contempt and skepticism as he tried and failed to give a glare even remotely intimidating towards Elyse. "You speak as if you are unaffiliated with the Republic, yet your fleet has been allowed port onto Coruscant's orbit so easily!"

"Our arrival to this planet is merely due to a mutual arrangement with the Jedi Order and the Grand Army's command structure," added Azrael, his tone devoid of its usual mirth and replaced instead with cool, calm and collected professionalism. "Before our first contact with Jedi Grand Master Yoda and his troops, we had never heard of the Republic, the Confederacy, this war or anything related to it."

In that moment, yet another platform joined them in-flight around the pedestal, this one occupied by a group of aliens that were incredibly thin and lanky, with elongated heads and small eyes. "A prodigious claim, indeed. However, it is quite unlikely that a military group of such scale does not have any relation with any of the major powers in this galaxy," said the one at the front, who wore a strange cylindrical hat on his head. "Not the least of which, one who seems to possess technology quite dissimilar to that known publicly."

"So instead you would accuse such a group of collusion with this government, without any evidence to prove such other than your bias?"

"It is certainly well to hold some bias regarding unknowns, would you not agree, captain? Especially when speaking to a man who is keen on hiding his face."

The murmurs that arose in response to that comment seemed to be the goal of the alien, if his minute smirk was any indication, and many people began to turn towards Azrael, while beside him both Bail and Padmé looked worriedly at the man. Before she could voice any protest, however, Azrael calmly reached up to his head and pressed down on the safety releases of his mask, eliciting a small hiss from them before pulling the piece from his face.

The sight that awaited the gathered senators was that of a surprisingly youthful-looking man, with bright, crystal-blue eyes and a singular, horizontal scar running over his eyes.

"I apologize for my lack of manners," replied the Militia captain as he stared somewhat wistfully at the mask in his hands, before gently placing it down onto the podium in front of him. "I've grown somewhat accustomed to it, to the point that I sometimes… Forget of its existence… I suppose one may even call it a tool of propaganda." With his piece said, Azrael simply took a step back and gave Elyse a nod, only stopping to motion towards the thin alien. "You ask how our claims may be truthful, senator? Then we shall return your baseless accusations with simple truths."

Without a word, Elyse withdrew from her pocket a device that Shatterglass had prepared for her specifically for this moment, and pressed the button on its side. In an instant, a massive hologram of a spiraling galaxy burst into existence and hovered over the main podium, its image lazily spinning as a few select areas began lighting up, either in blue or green.

"What is this?" asked the slug alien, his sneer only growing as he stared at the image. "If you are trying to imply this as your sector of home, then you are clearly desperate! This map is blatantly incorrect!"

"It is incorrect because it is not a map of your galaxy, senator," quickly replied Elyse with the same composure as ever, even if internally she wished to throttle the green biped where he stood. "What you see, and what all present here see, is a map of our galaxy of origin."

The silence that befell the Chamber was a rare, absolute kind, one that some of the more moderate senators dreamed of seeing when great decisions had to be made. They never dreamed, however, that it would be caused by an admission like this. And it seemed it had been Elyse's goal, with the quiet leaving her open to press a few more buttons on the device and zooming in on the green-marked section to reveal a number of different systems and planets, all marked and named in both English and Aurebesh, and with estimated population counts. And of course, all of the planets had the Militia insignia proudly displayed over them.

Finally, after a long pause, yet another senator made his voice known, this time a… Portly blue alien, with two large tentacles hanging from each side of his head. "Commander… Are you suggesting that—"

"I am not suggesting, senator, I am affirming that I, and by extension my entire fleet, hail from a galaxy far, far away from your own." Thankfully, the cold stare that Elyse aimed towards the platforms surrounding her own served to silence any snide comments from her current opposition, allowing her to proceed with her explanation. "These are the territories known to us as the Frontier and Outlands. The planets contained within these marked zones are controlled by our organization, the Frontier Militia and its related governments. In total, thirty-five planets are under our control, with a combined population of one-hundred-and-three billion humans. We have yet to encounter any other sentient species, though xenoflora has been widely discovered in our expansion, alongside traces of past civilizations."

With her part finished, Elyse shut down the hologram and pocketed the device, then returned her gaze to the senators that continued to watch her. "Our arrival into our galaxy was completely unexpected, and the circumstances that led to it were likewise unforeseen. Nonetheless, the sequence that events that unfolded led to our first contact with both the Republic and Confederate armed forces, our interference in favor of the former in their engagement, and to our agreed contract with this government to assist in the war."

With that, Elyse allowed her posture to minutely relax, a quick breath escaping her lips as she let her finishing words settle upon the minds of the senators. Much had been omitted, of course, a decision the Council of Captains had unanimously come to when the topic of how to word their arrival into the galaxy had been discussed. Information about the new Ark weapon, VAULTBREAK and the reasons behind it were to be completely withheld, while more general information such as the IMC, the Frontier War and their history could be delivered at a later date. Now, they needed only to earn favor with the political party, to allow their "alliance" to more smoothly be solidified. And judging from the looks of most of the senators present, they seemed mostly satisfied, if still obviously hungry for answers.

Unfortunately, not all of them seemed to have treated it as enough.

"Do you expect us to believe such an outlandish claim?" sneered the slug alien yet again, his face twisted into a visage of contempt and superiority. "A whole army coincidentally arrives from another galaxy and coincidentally joins the Republic with no questions asked? Do you honestly believe—"

And even more unfortunately for the alien, he had decided to test Elyse of all people.

Her response was to slam her closed fist into the podium, loudly enough that Padmé and Bail both jumped from the sound, and the slug alien found himself cut short by both the action and the positively venomous glare aimed at him.

"I do not care what you believe in, senator," said Elyse in a low, measured but dangerous tone. "I do not care what drivel you or your cohorts spit towards me. Call me a liar if you want, a fraud, a trickster, anything you like, that doesn't mean squat to me, and you know why?"

"Because I have a responsibility for the seventy-two thousand, eight hundred and fifty-four souls out there, bearing the Militia's insignia, my fleet's insignia, and to make sure they live to find themselves a new home. Because I have a duty to the thirty-one thousand, two hundred and forty-eight men and women who died under my command, following my orders in a battle they fought for their home, and so that we could come back to it."

Throughout it all, Elyse's voice never wavered, or cracked. Her gaze never lowered, her posture never sagged and her shoulders never slumped. Every word was spoken resolutely, determinedly, carrying the full weight of her position and authority.

And as Padmé watched astounded, she saw the expressions of the senators, even the chancellor's, be filled with awe… And even a spark of admiration. Which only seemed to build as she continued to speak.

"Now their home is beyond their reach, forever. So it falls to me to build them a new future here, in this galaxy. And it was the Jedi… The Republic were the first to offer an olive branch, to give me this chance for a future new beginning. So if I have to wade through another war and pave the way with bodies, then let me make it clear: it won't be with the bodies of my men."

And with those finishing words, Elyse finally stepped off the podium and returned to her seat on the platform, leaving stunned silence in the wake of her speech. Thankfully, after only a small pause, the meeting returned to relative normality.

The remaining subjects and topics of discussion moved surprisingly swiftly, most of them revolving around the many terms and agreements of the contract between the 5th Fleet and the Republic. Some amendments had to be made, and one or two protests raised over specific pointers, but overall, the opposition wisely remained subdued after Elyse's declaration.

Only two hours later, a record time in the history of the modern Galactic Senate, the Militia Remnants were now an officially contracted private military corporation under the umbrella of the Republic and its Grand Army. A small celebration was held, with many a dignitary going through the motions of congratulating Elyse and Azrael for their new alliance and wishing for prosperity on their future life in the galaxy.

A shockingly mundane ending to the whole debacle, all things considered.

Truly, Elyse thought as she sipped from the offered glass of what seemed to be champagne inside the celebration hall of the Senate Building, politics never change.

-O-

Ten hours later…

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

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

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

"Are preparations ready, Shatterglass?"

"Yes, commander."

"Good. Then let us proceed."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"All ships, stand-by for salvo."

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

Today, it served a far greater purpose.

"All ships… Fire."

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

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

"All hands, salute."

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

"Railgun… Fire."

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

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

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

Specifically, names.

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

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

FOREVER LIVING, IN MEMORY AND DEED

~O~

This sure took a while to finish…

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

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

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

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

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