Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo/Star Wars crossover redux.
Surprise, ladies and gentlemen! I said I was going to be posting a chapter on a random date, and here we are. This new chapter is my Christmas present to all of you, as well as my New Years Day present to you. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this present from the bottom of my heart.
As always, leave a review and enjoy! Oh, and more importantly, Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Star War franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, Disney Films, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to it's original developers, producer and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
Earth
Near HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6
May 10th, 0BBY, 0500Hrs (November 24th, 2558, 0500Hrs)
if there was one thing that Osman knew the most, it was that she needed help, and from someone more experienced than she was in this matter. Driving the Warthog that she had gotten from the garage at the facility, she smoothly drove up the road that would leader her to the house of the person that she wanted to speak with. A metal gate opened automatically as she drove towards it, allowing her to move through an electric fence topped with razor wire that kept out any would-be trespassers.
Driving along, she eventually came to a house that was set on a small hill. The house was small, but tall, with the building have three stories that were the same width, roughly 50 meters. Near the house was a greenhouse, and flower plots were in front of the door. The house itself was built with Victorian style architecture in mind, as it had steeply angled roofing, a small gable that was ornately made, painted iron railings, and the majority of the house was built out of bricks that were red in color.
Coming to a stop near the house, Osman stepped out and walked towards the door. A single camera was present, though Osman knew that the occupant had installed a number of security features, from IR and Visual cameras at the gate, to motion sensors in the drive way, not too surprising given who the person in question was. Ringing the doorbell, Osman waited for a minute or two.
Right on cue, the door opened, revealing a middle aged man wearing a suit and a tie. "Hello," he said, his brown eyes looking at her. "How may I assist you, ma'am?"
"I would like to speak to the owner of this place," Osman said. "Her gable needs some touching up."
The man was silent for a moment, likely checking her wording against his memory. "I see," he said. "I will inform her that you are in the guest room waiting for her. Come inside." Osman stepped into the door, wiping her shoes on the doormat, before proceeding into the house.
The inside of the house was fairly ornate, with dark wood paneling, handcrafted tables and chairs, as well as chandeliers that had small lights inside of them. The guest room in particular had two small chairs, a single sofa, as well as a small TV that was displaying the news and sports events. Looking around, Osman noted that everything looked clean, as though no one had used the room at all. The butler came back and said, "She will be with you shortly. Can I get you anything?"
"No, but thank you," Osman said. "I doubt I'll be staying for long." Nodding at that, the butler left, leaving Osman to wait in the room.
She didn't have to wait long, as the person she wanted to speak with entered just a few minutes later. The woman was short, with Osman noting that she would barely come up to her shoulder. The woman had dark colored skin that was wrinkled with time and the stresses of the life she had led, and hair that was also whitened from that stress. The green eyes, though, were what had Osman's attention. The woman might've been old, but those eyes held the cunning of an apex predator, and the intelligence of a woman that had seen it all. She wore a black dress, though the way she walked with confidence indicated that she was highly dangerous, even in that outfit.
Osman, who had worked at ONI for quite some time, knew exactly who this woman was, and just how dangerous she could be. "Margaret," she said. "It's been a long time."
"That it has been," Margaret Parangosky said, her green eyes glinting. "When I got the note from you requesting assistance, I was skeptical as to what was going on. When I noted the urgency in your message, though, I had a feeling that this was more than just you dealing with an insubordinate scientist or officer. I take it you have information for me to see, yes?"
"That I do," Osman said. "Also, about that butler. Is he...?"
"He's fine," Parangosky said. "Olson might be a butler, but he was also one of my friends while I was the head of ONI. There's nothing that fazes him, and he knows how to keep silent when needed." Seeing Olson, she asked, "Can you get us a couple cups of tea?"
"At once," Olson said, turning on his heels and leaving.
Once he was gone, Parangosky said, "So, what is the emergency that you needed to speak to me about?"
"We temporarily lost the Infinity," Osman said. "Around three weeks ago, we lost contact with the Infinity during a routine test they were doing of their Slipspace Drive. Five days ago, though, we picked up a probe from the Infinity that had a log buoy containing information, as well as a report from Captain Lasky."
"I remember hearing something about that," Parangosky said. "Is the Infinity safe and sound?"
"Yes, but that's the thing. The Infinity, according to Lasky's report, ended up in the Andromeda Galaxy during the drive's malfunction. And that's not all. Here." She handed the datapad to Parangosky.
Taking the datapad into her hands, Parangosky began to read the contents of the datapad. The elderly woman's expression remained calm, though Osman spotted subtle facial tics that indicated her state of mind. Eventually, she looked up from the datapad and said, "I can see why you wanted to bring this to my attention. A galaxy ruled by a despot, with a motley band of rebels fighting against said despot? I thought I had seen everything in my career. I should have known better than to believe that would be the case. At least Lasky was sensible enough to negotiate a cease-fire with them, especially when faced with twenty million potential threats."
"That he was," Osman agreed as Olson, having returned, handed her some saucers with teacups before leaving once more.
"Indeed. However, I would like to know why he requested five NOVA Bombs for the Infinity's arsenal."
"There's more," Osman said. "The Galactic Empire has a superweapon capable of destroying entire planets." As she said this, Parangosky saw the video in question.
It was a credit to Parangosky and her immense self-control when she showed no reaction to the Death Star firing its main weapon at Scarif. When it paused, she said, "An understandable request on Lasky's part, given the current circumstances. I'd say that he's being quite reasonable." Once she finished the data pad's contents, she looked up at Osman and said, "A very interesting turn of events. The mention of this 'Death Star' was certainly new. However, I can say that Lasky has upheld the traditions and code of the UNSC extremely well. However, you didn't mention that he had spared Dr. Halsey, and that Admiral Hood wishes to make him a Rear Admiral Upper Half."
"He does," Osman said. "To be honest, I was quite surprised, especially given what we know about Lasky. It seems as though Hood's favoring Lasky," She didn't add that Hood's favoring of Lasky irritated her. "Admiral Hood also told the entire UNSC Security Council that he would tell you what he was planning for Lasky, but he wouldn't tell us because I was on the Security council.
"My thoughts exactly," Parangosky said. She had an inkling as to why Hood had said this. After all, she favored Lasky herself when he was onboard the Infinity. "It seems as though Hood is favoring him for some strange reason, though I'm sure he'll tell us what that reason is in due time. Still, you could've told me about Halsey and everything that entails."
"I felt that was self-explanatory," Osman said, noticing Parangosky's irritation while taking a sip from the cup in her hands. "She has proven to be quite useful so far. Right now, she is working with the man that they captured from Scarif, one Orson Krennic, to find a way of delivering a NOVA Bomb to the Death Star. Given the size of the NOVA Bomb, however, I've commissioned the creation of a stripped down version that will fit inside the thermal exhaust port in the Death Star's schematics."
"A wise decision indeed," Parangosky noted. Putting the datapad face down onto a nearby end table, she said, "So, what request would you like to make of me?"
"That you return to active duty and take my position as the Director of Naval Intelligence," Osman said, "as well as my aide. Given the amount of new threats that we're going to be facing, I know for certain that I can't handle this on my own anymore. One galaxy of problems I can handle, but two galaxies is another matter entirely. With that much going on, I'll be quickly overwhelmed, plus having someone with experience in regards to events like this will greatly assist in getting the job done."
"I see," Parangosky said with a nod. "Normally, I would refuse. After all, given the work that I've done, I've earned the right to be selfish and to be an old lady. Given the circumstances, as well as the fact that we have a new threat to face, I accept your offer. Just remember which of the two of us is the most senior."
"Yes, ma'am," Osman said as the two got up and headed for the front door. "I'll inform the Admiral of The Navy that you're back in active service."
"Thank you, Osman. That's very kind of you."
"Just doing my job." Keying her COM, Osman said, "Admiral Hood, do you read me?"
"I do," came the response. "Go ahead, Osman."
"I've decided to bring back someone from retirement to help me out with the intelligence gathering that we'll be doing."
"Who?" Hood asked.
"You know who I'm referring to."
There was a moment of silence, then, "Parangosky. You brought her back onto the job."
"I did," Osman said. "Is that a problem?"
"No," Hood said. "I'm just... surprised is all. Parangosky and I never got along too often, even on the best of days. Given the circumstances that we're facing now, however, we're going to need her. Just be careful with her. She's getting old."
"Uh huh... and I don't suppose you're getting old too?"
There was a chuckle on the other end. "Fair enough. Just be careful with her. Parangosky can be a handful."
"Don't worry. I'll make sure she's on her best behavior."
"Thank you. See you when you're back."
"Roger that."
. . .
In another galaxy, Cole was enjoying the perks of being the Infinity's commanding officer. Sitting at the table in his quarters in his bathrobe, he took a sip from the mug of coffee that he'd just brewed in the Infinity's flag quarters. The flag quarters was larger than the quarters that Lasky had, though not by much, as the room was slightly larger than a recreational vehicle. On one of the walls was a small induction oven that had an air recycling ventilator, a small sink, as well as some cabinets that had freeze-dried food inside.
The other parts of the room had a small storage bin, as well as a desk that had a computer built into it. Past a narrow door was his actual bedroom, which had a small wardrobe and a small 'fresher he could use to get himself cleaned up. Past another door was a meeting room, which had a large L shaped sofa, and a table. He also knew that, close by, there was a pantry where food could be sent to him if he was handling certain aspects of his duties. There was also another room adjoining to this one where he would stay when the ship was in port.
It was nice and all, but Cole found that he wasn't used to this much luxury. I've probably gotten used to having everything in a small, compact space, he said to himself. Then again, the Infinity is much larger than the Everest, so that probably has something to do with it.
Getting up, he finished his coffee, before heading through that small door and to his wardrobe. As he put his underclothes and uniform on, he recalled the events that had happened during the past three days since Lasky had found him. Upon taking command of the ship, he had requested a meeting with each head of the ship's departments in order to familiarize himself with how things were done on the Infinity. I must admit, I never knew of a ship large enough that it needed its own department heads, he thought. Either way, I'm glad I decided to tour the ship that day too. It really helped send home the newfound responsibility that I have.
Once his uniform was on, Cole checked himself in the mirror one more time before heading towards the door. As he did so, the door opened up to reveal Captain Jessica Reed, his Flag Lieutenant. "Sir, I've got the new schedule for you ready to go," she said, handing Cole a data pad.
"Excellent," Cole said. "Thank you, Jessica."
"You're welcome, sir," she said before leaving. As she did so, Cole was about to leave when another officer came in. Cole quickly identified the man as Culinary Specialist John Stewards, a gourmet chef that had been recruited by the UNSC as said culinary specialist. "Good morning, sir," he said in his deep, rumbling tone. "How are you doing?"
"Fine," Cole said. "Just getting used to the ship. How about you? Are you doing good?"
"You bet your ass I am, sir," Stewards said. "I've got the best kitchen and pantry in the entire UNSC fleet. I could run a restaurant out of there if I had more folks."
"Good to hear. What's on the menu today?"
"Scrambled eggs with French Toast. One of my aides has the dish. He should be here shortly."
In fact, he had already arrived, as Cole could smell the rich aroma coming his way. A shorter man with pale skin walked into view carrying a plate that had the food items in question. "Thank you," Cole said.
"You're welcome, Admiral," Stewards said as he walked out. Walking towards the table, Cole sat down and began to eat his meal. While doing so, he looked at the schedule for today. Looks like I'll be needed on the bridge in around an hour or so. Enough time for me to enjoy my meal and head out. I've also got another meeting with my Chief of Staff in two hours. The joys of dealing with administrative work. Once he read the rest of his schedule, he finished his meal before stepping out of his quarters.
Even though it was early in the morning, the ship was still as busy as ever, with crew heading to and fro. Moving along the hallway, he passed by the new members of the Infinity's command staff, all of whom were from his ship. He recognized Commander Richmond, who had come from the Everest to be the Infinity's Flag Communications Officer. There was also the crew that had been with the Infinity since it had been built.
Striding into the Infinity's Command Bridge, Cole began getting his bearings on what was going on. The bridge was alive and bustling with activity as the various officers worked at their various stations. Nearby, he spotted Captain Lasky, who was talking with Lieutenant James as they headed towards the exit. Spotting Cole, Lasky said, "Vice Admiral. Good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"
"Better," Cole said. "I'm not feeling tired anymore, which is a good thing. Your shift is ending, correct?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "Before I fully go, however, I wanted to deliver a status report that your former XO, Johnathan Harold, sent to me."
"And that would be?"
"The ship repairs have been completed," Lasky said. "We did a test of the engines just fifteen minutes before you walked in. The good news is that they've been restored to full functionality once more, along with your RCS systems. We've also replaced the armor plating that was damaged during the Battle of Psi Serpentis."
"And the bad news?" Cole asked.
"The bad news is that we'll have to replace your CODEN IV Slipspace Drive," Lasky said with a frown. "Jordan's been wanting to get to work on the drive, but given the current state of affairs, we won't be able to until we reach a system where he can make the upgrades necessary. For now, you'll have to fly behind our ship in order to keep up with the Infinity."
"I see," Cole said. "That's understandable, especially given the malfunction we had with our drive. What of the other systems onboard the Everest? I take it they'll need upgrades as well."
"Yes," Lasky agreed. "No offense intended, Vice Admiral, but the Everest is in serious need of an overhaul. There are no energy shields onboard the ship, which means that the armor is going to be taking direct hits from any weaponry fired at it. We've also gotta upgrade the WAVECOM system onboard it to make it more advanced and to add HoloCOM compatibility. Beyond that, there's a whole number of upgrades to make, enough that I'd need a list to fully spell it all out."
"Tell me about it," Cole said. "We'd need a fully equipped shipyard to be able to conduct the necessary upgrades. We can swap out the Slipspace Drive easily enough without a shipyard, but everything else needs one. Hopefully the system that we're heading to can provide us with a shipyard that we can use."
"Me too," Lasky said. Noting the time, he said, "I'd best be heading off shift now to get some much needed sleep. The bridge is yours, sir."
"Thank you," Cole said. "Dismissed." As Lasky stepped off the bridge and headed to his quarters, Cole said, "Roland, inform Melody Azikiwe that I would like her to be on the bridge shortly, along with Cadet Erso. We're going to need to speak with both of them to learn more about the Pantora System, as well as to formulate a plan to negotiate with them."
"Yes, sir," Roland said. "Also, sir, I wanted to tell you that it is an honor to be working with someone of your caliber. I also wanted to thank you again for saving the Infinity."
"There's no need to," Cole said. "I was doing the duty that I needed to do, nothing more, nothing less." While Roland messaged Jyn and Melody to come to the bridge, Cole looked over more progress reports from the rest of the ship.
It wasn't long before Jyn and Melody both came to the bridge, with Jyn wearing the uniform she'd been provided upon becoming an Cadet in the UNSC Navy. Melody, on the other hand, wore the suit that she had worn during her stay on Coruscant. "Vice Admiral, is there something you need?" Melody asked.
"Yes," Cole said. "I wanted to talk to both you and Jyn about the system that we're going to. Jyn, if memory serves correctly, Lasky said that you helped him find a star system that would be suitable for us to go to. Correct?"
"Yes," Jyn said. "The star system that I recommended was the Pantora System, which is located in the Outer Rim Territories. If I may?"
"Go ahead," Cole said.
At Cole's answer, Jyn quickly pulled up a holographic image of the Andromeda Galaxy, before overlaying the maps that the Infinity had received from the Imperial Bureau of Ships and Services. A single system near the 'southern' section of the galaxy was highlighted, with the words 'Pantoran System' marking it out from the others. "Here," Jyn said. "This is the star system in question."
"Do you know anything more on the star system?" Cole asked.
"Yes, sir," Jyn said. "Pantora was a member of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, but things went downhill shortly after. When the Galactic Empire formed, they were cut off from the wider galaxy. They've since split into three factions: the Appeasers, Republicans and Expansionists. I don't know much about those factions, but Cortana might?"
"Does she?" Cole asked.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Cortana said. "They're still connected to the HoloNet system, so I was able to gather some more information on them. Like Jyn says, the Pantoran Assembly fractured into those three factions when the Galalctic Republic was replaced by the Galactic Empire. The Appeasers believe that a stronger relationship with the Empire is the only way to assure economic stability and peace, while the Republicans say that the Empire stands against ever value that the Pantorans have stood for. The Expansionists want to forge stronger relations with the old slaving and spice trading worlds near Pantora, though this view has alienated them from the rest of Pantora's citizens. As far as I can tell, the Republicans are the largest of the three groups, and have the most political sway."
"Thank you, Cortana," Cole said. "Any more political information that could be useful to us?"
"Yes, Vice Admiral. The planet is ruled by the Chairman, who is the equivalent of the UEG President for that planet. Directly under him or her is the Speaker of The Assembly, basically their second-in-command, and the head of the legislative branch. The current Chairman is one Riyo Chuchi, while the current Speaker of The Assembly is Chi Eekway Papanoida, who is the daughter of the former Chairman Notluwiski Papanoida."
"And both were elected for those positions?"
"Yes," Cortana said. "I've also looked up information on both of those individuals. From the looks of it, they're both highly professional individuals, and both of them were Republican Ambassadors before the Republic became the Empire. Riyo, in particular, was able to break a blockade the Trade Federation attempted to use against her planet to try to get them to join the Separatists they were fighting at the time."
Both Melody and Cole shared a glance with each other. It was already clear to them that they were looking at individuals that were highly proficient at politics. "What political affiliation are they?" Cole asked.
"They're members of the Republican faction, sir," Cortana said.
"I see," Cole said. "Melody, what do you think?"
"I think I might have a plan for how we could bring the Patorans over to our side," Melody said. "However, I would like to discuss this in your private quarters."
"That we can do," Cole said. "Would you kindly follow me?"
"Absolutely." Both Cole and Melody strode towards the door. Exiting it, they moved down the hallways that would lead them to Cole's quarters. Once they were inside, Cole locked the door, preventing anyone from being able to disturb them.
"So, what's your plan?" Cole asked.
"We're going to have to win the Republican faction over to our side if we're going to be able to negotiate with them," Melody said. "We'll also have to find a way to sway the Appeasers, or at least most of them, over to our side. My plan is to tell them more about the UEG and UNSC, and to use the Covenant-UNSC War as a way of showing that we're strong enough to fight off any threat to us, while also showing the economic stability of the UEG. Plus, our republican form of government will already have the Republicans looking at us favorably."
"That does sound like a good plan," Cole said. "However, the Expansionists and their goals are going to be a problem."
"They will be," Melody said. "However, that is where you come in, Cole. Once the Infinity has deployed it's frigate escort, you can use them to patrol the systems near Pantora as a show of cooperation and force. Any slavers or pirates attack those ships, they'll have the authority necessary to put them down and to restore the peace. Seeing that level of protection will likely persuade the Pantorans to come over to our side. If all goes well, we might even see them enter an alliance with the UNSC and UEG."
"And that in turn will provide us with a foothold into this new galaxy," Cole surmised. "An excellent strategy, Melody."
"Indeed," Melody said. "I'll have to be careful, though. The Appeasers might see me as a threat, while the Expansionists will definitely see me as a threat. They might resort to assassination or some other form of violence to get their way, which means that I'll need some form of protection."
"I can arrange that," Cole said. "While you're down on the surface of Pantora, I'll make sure that a squad of Spartan IVs or ODSTs accompanies you at all times. We'll also sweep any quarters they provide you for any surveillance devices that might've been planted in there by the factions in order to spy on you. You'll be in good hands."
"Thank you," Melody said. "I know that the meeting with the Empire went well, but it's not going to be always like that. We're going to encounter people that will dislike us, regardless of what we say or do to convince them otherwise."
"Very well," Cole said. Unlocking the door to his quarters, they proceeded out, and entered the bridge once again. "Cadet, do you think you can get us to the Pantora System?" Cole asked.
"Sure," Jyn said. "I'm still being trained by Lieutenant Jespersen and Jet, so I'll ask them if they can."
"Make it so," Cole said. "Cortana, how long until we reach the Pantora System?"
"I estimate that we'll need just two days to get there," Cortana said. "We'll have to skirt around the gravitiational signatures in the Core Worlds and Deep Core, which will take us a day to do. After that, it'll be smooth sailing all the way to Pantora."
"Excellent," Cole said. "Inform the Everest to follow us through the Slipspace portal and to remain in our wake." As the crew of the ship went to work, Cole silently whispered, "One small step for man…"
. . .
Two days later, at Pantora's capital city of Pantora City, Ryio Chuchi was having to deal with a migraine headache as she looked over the latest pieces of information coming in from the HoloNet. Ever since the UNSC and UEG had announced their arrival from another galaxy, things had literally exploded, with planetary governments all over the galaxy making announcements and press releases to the information that had come up. While the UNSC and UEG's meeting with the Empire on Coruscant had eased tensions, the galaxy was still very much uncertain as to what the UEG and UNSC wanted.
Her government, the Pantoran Assembly, was no different either, as Riyo knew deep down. Hearing a knock on the door, she said, "Come in." The door opened to reveal a middle aged Pantoran woman that wore an ornate, moif-tassled overcloak over her black and brown dress. While her hair was hidden, her gold colored eyes shone in the light of the room. Time, and the stresses of her life, had worn on her, creating wrinkles and creases in the skin on her face.
Riyo almost immediately recognized the woman. Chi Eekway Papanoida, the woman in question, was the daughter of the former Chairman of the Pantora Assembly, Baron Notluwiski Papanoida. Unlike Riyo, who was a more reserved individual, Chi Eekway was much more outgoing and impetuous, though age and experience had tempered the latter of those two traits. Having governed and represented a people that was known for their frontier spirit, Chi Eekway was highly respected by even the Appeasers and Expansionists, and she had near-supernatural levels of empathy, which also made her highly respected. "Chi Eekway," Riyo said with a smile. "How are you doing today?"
Chi returned the smile. "Quite well," she said. "I was coming to check on you, as a matter of fact. How are you doing?"
"Fine," Riyo said. "Just dealing with the usual affairs of governance."
"The Appeasers and Expansionists again?" Chi asked.
"Yes. Their reaction to the arrival of the newcomers in our galaxy has been quite worrying. The Appeasers want us to tighten our relations with the Empire as a result of this 'UEG' and 'UNSC' arriving in our galaxy, while the Expansionists are trying to recruit more people to their cause of allying with the spice and slave trading worlds. It's giving me a headache."
"What about our faction, the Republicans?" Chi asked.
"I've spoken with the others with regards to that, and they all seem to share my idea."
"And that would be?"
"To establish contact with the UNSC and UEG forces that arrived in this galaxy and to being talks with them," Riyo said. Pulling up a data pad, she said, "I've been looking over the non-classified information that their Envoy, Melody Azikiwe, shared with Leia Organa while they were at Coruscant. At a first glance, the UEG is everything that our people could want or need."
"I saw that information too," Chi said. "The UEG appears to be an improved version of the government that we, the Pantorans, have chosen for ourselves: a republican democracy that listens to its people and does what it can to support them. Still, the images of the war that they had against the faction calling themselves the Covenant haunts my mind to this very day."
Riyo nodded in agreement. When the footage of the Covenant-UNSC War had been circulated across the HoloNet just under a month ago, everyone had been shocked and terrified. Even the Appeasers, who had a strong belief in the Empire's power and stability, had been shocked and horrified by the things that had happened in that war.
The Republicans, though, had been the most terrified and emphatic to the UEG and UNSC's plight in the war. Chi Eekway had done what she could to prevent a panic from breaking out, and had given a rousing speech on why the UEG was the best government that they could ally themselves with. Like the Republic of old, the UEG had faced odds that would've shattered lesser governments, and had come out stronger as a result. Many Pantorans had started to listen to them, with most stating that speaking with the UEG first was the correct call to make. "So," Riyo said, "what do you think we should do?"
"We should listen to the voice of the people," Chi said. "Right now, our people are curious about the UEG and UNSC. The poll that we put up weeks ago has also come back with the results. Roughly sixty nine percent of the population wishes to learn more about the UNSC and UEG, and want to talk with them. 25% don't want to have anything to do with them, while five percent of the population is still undecided."
"I see," Riyo said. "Well, it's a good thing that we prepared for when the UNSC arrives in the weeks following Leia's speech. Should they arrive in this system, we've got enough ships to show that we can defend ourselves, and we'll be able to speak with them in the days to come. Inform the Assembly that -"
She was about to give more instructions to Chi when several loud knocks interrupted her. Turning towards the door, she watched as an aide burst into the room, huffing and puffing from a long run. Looking at her, he said, "Madam Chairman, we've just had a major development."
"What kind of development?" Riyo asked.
"Our scanners have detected two ships approaching the planet. One is a five and a half kilometer large warship, while the other is just over a kilometer and a half in size. Visual scans indicate that the ship is likely the Star Dreadnought that was at Coruscant."
Upon hearing that, Riyo realized exactly what the aide was taking about. Looks like the UNSC and UEG have arrived. Why are they here? "I see," she said calmly. "Inform the small navy that we have to take up formation on the approach to the city. I will also be heading to the communications center immediately. Thank you for bringing this information to my attention." As the aide left, she turned to Chi and said, "Make sure that everyone's ready in case things go sour. Also, move our families to the designated shelter when possible."
"I will do so immediately," Chi said. "Should I call the Assembly to order?"
"Yes," Riyo said. "The sooner, the better. Also, contact Ambassador Leia Organa and speak with her when you can. I have a feeling that, soon, we will be at the center of events that we cannot possibly fathom or imagine."
. . .
Onboard the Infinity, Cole and Lasky watched as the Infinity smoothly exited the Slipspace portal and re-entered normal space-time. "Slipspace exit complete," Lieutenant Jet reported from his station. "The Everest has also exited Slipspace successfully. All systems are in the green."
"Very good," Cole said. "Gabriela, can you confirm that we're in the star system that Ensign Erso recommended? Work with her to confirm our destination."
"Yes sir," Gabriela said. Both she and Jyn went to work working out if they had arrived at their destination. Two minutes of cooperation produced results, results that had them smiling. "We've arrived at the Pantora System, right where we need to be."
"Excellent. Take us closer to the planet and perform a sensor sweep. I'm certain the Pantorans will pick us up within the hour."
"Aye, Captain," Lieutenant Jet said. The enormous ship slowly began to move faster, with the ship quickly accelerating to just under 1% of the speed of light. As the ship traveled towards the sole planet in the star system, Cole noted that there were a number of much smaller satellites orbiting the larger planet. "Cortana, what are we looking at here?" he asked.
"Scanning," Cortana said. A moment later, she said, "From what I can tell, Vice Admiral, Pantora isn't a planet. It's actually a moon of the much larger planet that we're seeing, Orto Plutonia. I'm uploading a navigation path towards the moon immediately." On the holo-table, a gold-yellow line marking their projected flight path appeared.
"All right," Cole said. "Helm, come about to heading 0-5-0 mark negative 0-1-0. Once we reach 300,000 kilometers from the planet, begin slowing the ship down. I want us to be stationary by the time we get to within 500 kilometers of the planet's atmosphere."
"Aye, Vice Admiral," Lieutenant Jet said. "Flight path altered. We'll be in orbit over Pantora within fifteen minutes, sir."
"Understood," Cole said. "Within reason, they'll notice our position within a few minutes or so. Roland, Gabriela, inform me of when you pick up contacts."
"Roger that," Roland said.
True to form, it was around ten minutes later, during their deceleration period, when Roland said, "Captain, I've got sensor contacts approaching our position. Scans indicate that we've got four Carrack-class Light Cruisers approaching our position."
"Understood," Cole said. "Lieutenant Jespersen, be ready for when the ships make contact with us."
"They already are," Jespersen said. "I've got a HoloCOM call coming in. Should I go ahead and send it through?"
"Go ahead," Cole said. Standing near the holo-table, he watched as the color hologram of a man appeared. The man's eyes were gold in color, while his skin was a dark blue color that clashed with his gray uniform. The man stood to attention with military precision, indicating to Cole that this man was part of the local defense force.
"Unidentified ship, this is Captain Hadjo Portendris the PDF Pantoran Guardian," the man said. "Do you read us? Over."
"This is Vice Admiral Preston J. Cole of the UNSC Infinity speaking," Cole said. "We read you loud and clear."
"Understood," Captain Hadjo said. "State your intentions, please. Failure to do so will be seen as a hostile action, and we will respond accordingly."
"Understood, Captain Hadjo. We're here on an ambassadorial visit to Pantora as requested by Envoy Melody Azikiwe. We would like to engage in talks and negotiations with your government. Be advised: we will be staying for a few days, and possibly permanently if all goes well."
"Understood," Captain Hadjo said. "Chairman Riyo has informed me that she would like to speak to you."
"Understood," Cole said.
A moment later, the image of a woman appeared. The woman was wearing a dark purple suit that had a small slit that exposed a tiny portion of her upper chest, along with pants of the same color. Her eyes were a gold color, which contrasted with her formal wear and blue skin. "Hello," she said. "I'm Supreme Chairman Riyo Chuchi of the Pantoran Assembly. You are Vice Admiral Cole, yes?"
"I am," Cole said.
"All right," Riyo said. "I thought I would be speaking with Captain Lasky. From what I recall, he was the CO of the Infinity. Correct?"
"He was," Cole said. "He rescued me and my crew when our Slipspace Drive malfunctioned and left us stranded for fifteen years. As per UNSC protocols, I'm in command of the ship now, while Lasky is my XO."
"I see. I was not aware of this change. My apologies."
"No need to apologize," Cole reassured her. "It's one of those things that happens from time to time. Now, with that in mind, we came here to Pantora to speak with you and the Assembly. We have some matters that we would like to discuss, as well as an offer, if you're willing to hear us out."
"Of course," Riyo said. "I'd be glad to hear you out. Can you come by for a visit?"
"Definitely," Cole said. "We'll be planet side ASAP."
"Good. I look forwards to speaking with you. Chairman Riyo out."
"Same here. Vice Admiral Cole out." Once the hologram fully faded, he said, "Roland, inform Melody to head to Hangar Bay 21-Delta ASAP, and that I'll also be going to the surface as well. Inform Spartan Blue Team to head there as well."
"Sir, if I may?" Lasky, who'd been silent until now, asked.
"Go ahead."
"I think I should be the one to head to the surface," Lasky said. "You're currently the highest ranking UNSC officer in the entire galaxy. As a result of that, combined with your experience, you're the most valuable asset that the UNSC Navy has right now. If something happens, we might lose you, which would be a hugely detrimental blow to the UNSC, sir."
Cole looked at Lasky and thought his words over. He does have a point, he realized. If I go down there and I'm injured, the UNSC could lose me, which is unacceptable. Lasky is just as valuable, but he's had experience in speaking with these people. "All right," he decided. "Roland, amend that previous order. Lasky will go ahead to the surface."
"Aye, Vice Admiral." Roland said.
"Thank you, sir," Lasky said.
"No. Thank you, son. You just ensured that the UNSC won't lose me. Dismissed."
. . .
Around five minutes later, Lasky and Melody were entering the hangar bay, with Lasky in his dress whites, while Melody was in her formal business suit. Nearby, Blue Team was standing to attention, while a squad of Marines was stationed at the Pelican, weapons locked tightly onto their backs. "Where's Crewman Jones?" Lasky asked.
"I'm here," Jones said as he walked into view. "I just wanted to inform you, sir, that it's been a pleasure working with you. I probably won't get the chance to do this again, though given the usual drama that goes on around here, I'm probably tempting fate."
"Definitely tempting fate all right," Lasky said. "Good thing we got our shots, though. Now we can walk around on the surfaces of planets without facial masks and risking getting ourselves killed by some unknown disease. I'm sure the Pantorans will definitely add more to the list for our scientists to take care of."
"Yep," Jones said. "However, given the fact that these people have been using vaccinations like that for a really long time, I'm certain that you'll be just fine. Still, if you need me again, Captain, I'll be here."
"Understood," Lasky said. "Let's head down to the surface. See you around, Jones."
"You too, Captain," Jones said, snapping off a salute before proceeding out of the hangar bay.
Moving into the Pelican, Lasky made certain that he was firmly buckled in, with Melody doing the same as the Marines and Spartans loaded up. "We're good to go," Lasky said as the troop ramp folded up, with the bay becoming pressurized and sealed.
"Roger that," the pilot of the Pelican said. Keying his COM, he said, "Flight Operations, this is Delta 3-1-5. Requesting permission to take off from Hangar 21-D. Over."
"Copy that, Delta 3-1-5," Lieutenant Murphy said. "You are cleared to depart from Hangar 21-D. Be advised, bad weather is on your flight path. Over."
"Understood. Delta 3-1-5 over and out." Closing the COM channel, the pilot quickly moved the throttle stick forwards, with the Pelican rising into the air moments later. Before long, the VTOL zoomed out of the hangar.
As they flew out, Lasky, who had unbuckled by this point, proceeded into the cockpit to take a look at the moon of Pantora itself. If he could choose a word to describe it, it would be 'muddy', as the entire planet looked like a mud ball from orbit. "I can't imagine the weather being good down there," he said as he noticed what looked like a storm that was projected to enter their flight path.
"It's not," Cortana said from Chief's helmet speakers. "The planet's primary terrain is marshland, though there are some actual oceans and dry pieces of land. Pantora City, the Capitol, was built near the coast, and it's cloudy there for most of the year. Expect some light showers, and the occasional downpour while you're there."
"Understood," Lasky said as the Pelican continued to fly towards the atmosphere. "All right, everyone. We're here to make nice with the Pantorans and, if possible, get them on our side. I want everyone to be at their best behavior for the duration of the visit. We can't afford to screw this up, otherwise we won't have a safe harbor. Understood?'
"You got it, sir," Chief said.
The Pelican continued to move towards the planet as they spoke. A moment later, two fighters of unknown design flanked them. "Unknown VTOL, this is Polaron Squadron. Identify yourself, over."
"Roger, Polaron Squadron. This is Delta 3-5-1 of the UNSC Infinity. We are currently transporting a delegation down to the surface of the planet. Over."
"Understood, Delta 3-5-1. We will be escorting you along the flight path your CO sent us five minutes ago. Any deviation will be treated as a hostile action. Understood?"
"Copy that. Delta 3-1-5, over and out."
"Solid copy. Polaron Squadron over and out." With that, they continued to fly towards the planet.
True to form, they ended up flying into the large bank of clouds that Cortana had informed them about after re-entering the atmosphere. Almost immediately, turbulence began to buffet the Pelican, with everyone that was buckled down being bounced up and down in their seats. Holding onto a hand-bar, Lasky got to his seat and sat down before buckling in. A flash of lightning illuminated the troop bay like a camera flash before instantly fading away.
"Everything OK?" Melody asked.
"We're good," the pilot replied. "Just a little bouncy. You should've seen me around five months ago. Ho! Talk about puke!"
"How bad was it?" Lasky asked.
"We ran into a hailstorm over the Indian Ocean during a training exercise," the pilot explained. "Everyone was retching their guts out. The pilot shot his lunch all over the viewport, and I barfed on the radio. Knocked it out completely."
"Damn!" Lasky whistled. "That's some strong puke!"
"It was, and it wasn't that lightweight stuff either. That was chunky, industrial grade puke there. Two months later, the radios got a redesign to where that couldn't happen to them. I guess some improvements come because someone barfed on it." The man smiled, while Lasky shook his head.
"The stories some people have," Melody said.
"Tell me about it," Lasky agreed.
Eventually, the shaking lessened, with the Pelican's flight becoming smooth once more. Looking outside after he unbuckled, Lasky got his first glimpse at Pantora City. The city was split into a number of smaller sections by the marshy river delta it was located at. Looking at the structures, he was reminded of some of the buildings that he'd seen in the Middle East, particularly in the defunct countries of Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. Each one had a long and narrow spire that connected to a bulbous section that had a pointed tip at the top. Other structures were wider and shorter, though each one had a curved section on the upper portion of the building.
As the Pelican flew along its projected flight path, the pilot decelerated as they approached a landing pad that was outside of one of the larger buildings that were present in the city. It shared the same architectural design as the other buildings, but was significantly wider, with Lasky estimating that the width was roughly six hundred and fifty meters at the base. His thoughts were jarred when they landed a moment later.
"There we go," the pilot said. "We've arrived at our destination."
"Thank you," Lasky said. "All right everyone. We ready?"
"Sure," Melody said. Proceeding towards the door, they waited until it opened, with the loading ramp being deployed moments later.
Walking outside, Lasky noted that it was cold outside, courtesy of the storm that was overhead. A light shower had raindrops falling on the landing pad they were on, with the sky being obscured by dark grey clouds. A faint rumbling in the distance promised more rain to come, with some lightning as well. A walkway was up ahead, with some droids performing maintenance on sections of it.
Looking ahead, Lasky got his first look at the natives of the planet. Soldiers wearing body armor advanced towards them, as well as two individuals that the soldiers flanked. Both of them resembled human beings, only with blue skin and gold colored eyes. The first was wearing an overcloak that had dark gold markings woven into it, while the second was wearing a dark purple suit that had a small slit that exposed a tiny portion of her upper chest.
Once they were close enough, the second woman approached them and said, "Greetings. I am Riyo Chuchi, Supreme Chairman of the Pantora Assembly. With me is Chi Eekway Papanoida, the Speaker of The Assembly, as well as my second-in-command. We are honored to be hosting a visit from the UNSC and UEG."
"Thank you," Lasky said. "I'm Captain Thomas Lasky, Executive officer of the UNSC Infinity. With me is Envoy Azikiwe Melody of the UEG, as well as our body guards. We are honored to be welcomed to Pantora."
"It is an honor for us as well," Riyo said. "You said that your name was Captain Lasky, yes? I thought that we would be speaking to the man that I spoke with earlier."
"That would be Vice Admiral Preston Cole," Lasky said. "Due to his status as the only high ranking UNSC officer in this galaxy, as well as some other matters, he will not be able to visit us. As such, I was sent in his stead to represent him."
"I understand," Riyo said. "How about we head inside? It's warm and dry inside. Far be it from me to be inhospitable to our guests."
"That would be appreciated," Lasky said. Turning to the others, he said, "Marines, I need eight of you to remain with the Pelican until relieved. We'll rotate all sixteen of you through guard shifts, and we'll arrange for housing for you. Blue Team, with me and Melody. We're going inside."
"Roger that," Chief said.
Lasky and Melody proceeded towards the building up ahead, with eight of the Marines remaining behind to keep an eye on the Pelican. As they moved along, the rain began to pick up, with the wind quickly doing the same. Before long, the rain had turned into a downpour, though by that point, Lasky and the others had entered an enclosed walkway, allowing them to stay dry, if not warm.
Before long, the entire group was walking down one of the streets, with the populace keeping a safe distance from the others. Walking towards a tall building that had a wide, elaborate top, Riyo said, "This is where we have ambassadors from off-world stay at. We've ensured that the most luxurious amenities are in place, and that the entire place is sufficiently guarded. However, if you want to keep your guards with you, you may do so."
"Thank you," Lasky said. Before long, the group entered the lobby for the building. While the exterior was a dull gray color, the interior was warm and welcoming, with exotic wood and stone walls and pillars, as well as dark red tiling on the floor. The receptionist, noting them, smiled and pointed at two of the lifts in the place. Stepping inside, Lasky, Melody and four of the Marines went with Riyo and Chi, while the other four Marines and the Spartans went into the other lift.
Once they reached the uppermost floors, they proceeded out and entered what appeared to be the penthouse. Much like the ground floor, the room was lavishly decorated, with a number of dark red sofas with gold embroidery, tables made out of a black exotic wood, walls that were a warm brown color with gold trimming, as well as white curtains near a small veranda. A hallway leading to a pair of bedrooms was present, as well as a doorway that led to a speeder pad outside. "Here we are," Riyo said. "This is the penthouse, where offworld ambassadors come to stay."
"Very nice," Lasky said. "We thank you for the accommodations."
"You're welcome," Riyo said. "As the Supreme Chairman of the Pantoran Assembly, it is part of my duty to ensure that guests and visitors to Pantora City are satisfied with their accommodations. To do otherwise would reflect badly on the people and myself."
"Thank you," Melody said. "Your too kind, ma'am."
"Oh, but I insist," Riyo said. "That being said, I was wondering if you could speak with me in my office. We're just under two kilometers from the main building, so we'll take the speeder there."
"That would be nice," Lasky said. Before they left, he keyed his COM and said, "Admiral Cole, do you read me?"
"Go ahead," Cole said. "Have you made contact with the Chairman?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "We've made contact with Chairman Riyo. So far, so good. I'm requesting a bug sweeping team to be sent down from the Infinity to my current location. We need to make sure that there aren't any surveillance devices down here."
"Understood," Cole said. "I'll be sending down a bug sweeping team immediately. I'll speak with the Captain of the defense force so that there are no misunderstandings. Continue with your mission, then report back to the Infinity once you've gotten the arrangements made. Admiral Cole over and out."
"Roger that. Captain Lasky over and out." Closing the COM-link, he proceeded towards the speeder landing pad, where two speeders were currently waiting. Both of them were fully enclosed, with one appearing to have been refitted with a heavy duty repulsorlift, like in anticipation of the Spartans.
Getting onboard the unmodified one, Melody said, "Your city looks beautiful, Supreme Chairman."
"Thank you," Riyo said as the speeder took off, with the other one following once the Spartans and Marines were onboard. "Given how dreary the marshlands are, we try to make our cities as architecturally pleasing as we can, without detracting from their function, of course."
"Of course." The rest of the trip was spent in silence as they flew over to the Pantoran Assembly Chambers. The building itself was quite large, but smaller than most of the buildings in the area. Looking at the structure, Lasky noted that it looked like a Middle Eastern version of the US Congressional Building that the defunct USA used to house its legislative branch, albeit a little smaller. Once they landed, they quickly proceeded inside, as the weather outside had upgraded from a downpour into a thunderstorm.
Once inside, they walked down hallways with dark red carpeting, warm tan walls and sculpted columns. Leaning in to Lasky, Melody said, "Looks like the Pantorans really put a lot of work into making the insides of their buildings look good. This is nearly on the same level of quality as the UEG Congressional Building back at Earth."
"It is," Lasky agreed. Noticing the bust of a Pantoran with an ornate hat, he asked, "Who's that?"
"That would be Baron Notluwiski Papanoida," Riyo said. "He was the previous Supreme Chairman before I was elected by the people of Pantora, as well as the Assembly. It's rumored that he had a secret alliance with the Republic and the Separatists during the Clone Wars. Despite some of his shady actions, he did his best to make sure that our people was well cared for, just like every other Chairman before him."
"So you see him as a flawed, but good man," Lasky surmised.
"Yes," Riyo said. "All of our past Chairmen, aside from one, were just as you described Notluwiski: flawed, but good men. I don't suppose you have leaders that are the same, do you not?"
Lasky had to admit, that was a pretty good question. "That we do," he admitted. "I guess we're not so different after all in that regard."
"I suppose not," Riyo said. As they proceeded down the lavishly decorated hallways, they soon came to a pair of doors that were guarded by two Pantoran Defense Force soldiers. Both of them were keeping an excellent watch, as they immediately focused their eyes on the Spartans and the Marines accompanying Lasky and Melody. "You can relax," Riyo said to them. "They are here to talk, not to fight."
"Understood, ma'am," one of the guards said. "With all due respect, though, not keeping our eyes on them would result in us doing a disservice to you and our people. Besides, our sergeant would have our heads if we didn't remain vigilant."
Riyo smiled. "I understand. My apologies."
"It's all right ma'am. However, we would like to accompany the soldiers with the newcomers into your office."
"That's fine," Riyo said. "Lasky, do you protest this arrangement?"
"Not at all," Lasky said. "In fact, your men should be complimented for their vigilance and adherence to their duty. We look for the same in the UNSC."
"Good," Riyo said. With that, they proceeded inside. Compared to the rest of the building, the Chairman's office was sparsely decorated, with only a single painting, a cabinet with some drinks, as well as a bookshelf that had datapads and the like stored inside of it. A window behind the Chairman's desk allowed them to look outside, though a slight humming sound coming from the window indicated that it had a ray shield installed, a prudent measure to Lasky.
Once they were inside, Riyo watched as one of the guards used a scanner and checked every nook and cranny in the room. "We're good," he said to her. "You could fire a blaster in here and no one would know."
"Thank you," Riyo said. Once the guard resumed his position, Riyo sat down and said, "Now, according to Vice Admiral Preston Cole, you and he are here to conduct talks. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "Melody is to be the UEG representative. I represent the UNSC."
"And what is the UNSC's task?"
"We are the military, exploratory and scientific branch of the UEG," Lasky explained. "We provide protection, while exploring new systems and researching new technologies. The UEG is the political body of Earth and her colonies, to which we are subservient."
"Ah, I see. So, Melody, why did Cole wish to speak with me?"
"Mostly because I wanted to speak with you," Melody said. "Given that we're from another galaxy, we needed to find some place where we could wait until our superiors either send back a message to us, or send a fleet to make contact with us. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but the Infinity wasn't stocked with enough food to last an entire month, nor do we have enough cryonic pods for the crew to be stored in the event of an emergency. We also need a place where the personnel onboard the Infinity can go for shore leave."
"And you chose us as a result, yes?," Riyo asked.
"Yes," Melody. "Why do you ask?"
"Mostly out of curiosity, but there is an actual catch in this case." Getting up and pacing behind her desk, Riyo said, "I'm not sure if you know, but the political situation here at Pantora is tense. Ever since the fall of the Republic, and the rise of the Galactic Empire, we've been cut off from the rest of the galaxy by choice. This is due to the Assembly being split between three parties: the Appeasers, Republicans and Expansionists."
"We heard something about that from someone we recently recruited," Lasky said. "Are you familiar with the name Jyn Erso?"
Riyo's eyes sparkled with recognition. "I do," she said. "She worked here for a few months as a transient worker. A bit of a spitfire, but she had a kind heart deep down. I take it she told you of the political situation here?"
"Yes," Melody said. "We were informed about the political turmoil that is present here. We figured, though, that you might have more information."
"I do. The Appeasers, as you no doubt know, believe that the only way to restore Pantora's economic stability, as well as the peace, is to ally ourselves with the Empire. The Expansionists believe that we are to create new alliances with the slave and spice trading worlds near our system, though most Pantorans, myself included, abhor their viewpoints."
"And what about you?" Melody asked.
"I belong to what is currently the largest of the three factions: the Repubicans. The Republicans, myself included, believe that the Galactic Empire is not a legitimate government, and that their ideals are directly opposed to our own. You don't need to look far to see why we believe this way, especially when news of Imperial sponsored or enacted purges of various worlds spreads around. For a long time, we've wondered if we've made the right decision. We were about to negotiate with the Appeasers when your ship came along.
"After we learned of your ship, and saw the footage in the speech Leia broadcasted over the entire holonet, I realized that we have a third option." Leaning towards Lasky and Melody, she said, "Given that your people survived a war that would've destroyed a lesser government, as well as the prosperity you are no doubt experiencing now that the war is over, I believe that it would be in our best interests to form an alliance with the UNSC and UEG. Not only have you shown that you are one of the strongest factions out there, your reputation precedes you. No pirate or slaver faction would be willing to attack us if they knew you were protecting our people."
Lasky and Melody shared a look with each other. So far, it seemed that Riyo was telling them that she wanted to do exactly what they were going to offer: membership in the UEG and protection from pirates. "I see…" Melody said, caught off guard by Riyo's words. "So you and the Republicans believe that joining the UNSC and the UEG is your best chance of survival?"
"Yes," Riyo said. "We discussed what to do in a meeting that happened not five days ago. Many of the Appeasers have also been impressed by the show of force you conducted over the planet of Scarif, though some still believe that we should side with the Empire. The Expansionists had nothing good to say about the UNSC and UEG, despite seeing their valor. You will have to keep a close eye on your back. They might try something. However, as Chi Eekway and I are part of the Republicans, we'll do what we can to ensure they cannot do so."
"Thank you," Melody said. "We'll need to discuss a potential treaty creating an alliance or a federation with the UEG and UNSC, as well as the usual affairs with economics and the like."
"I agree," Riyo said. "However, I highly recommend that you get some rest before you do so. Your journey must've been long and tiring."
"Thank you," Melody said. "Once we've gotten some rest, I'll be more than happy to begin negotiations with you, and to extend our offer to the Assembly."
"And so will I. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my duties to tend too. Have a pleasant day." With that, the guards escorted Lasky, Melody and the others outside.
"Well, that was easier than I expected," Melody said. "It appears that our fight with the Empire over Scarif impressed a few people."
"It appears that way," Lasky said. "We'll need to be careful, though, especially with the Appeasers and Expansionists. I've got a gut feeling that they won't like us, even if we try and show them that we really do want peace. I'll make sure Blue Team stays with you for the duration of this op."
"Thank you," Melody said. "If all goes well, getting Pantora to ally with the UNSC and UEG might be our best maneuver yet." With that, they began heading back to the apartment.
. . .
While Lasky and Melody were down on the surface talking with Riyo, Cole was in a meeting room onboard the Infinity. Two other people were with him, with the first being Captain Dare, while the second was the Captain of the Prowler that had tailed the Infinity. A tall, wiry man with green eyes and dirty blond hair, Captain Ford was well known for his ability to pilot a ship with ease, and for keeping out of sight of some of the more undesirable individuals within UEG space.
Right now, however, he was speaking with the two in order to give them their new assignment. "Thank you for coming," he said. "As you are aware, Captain Lasky and Envoy Melody are currently on the surface of Pantora speaking with the Chairman. Both of them are going to be working to convince the Pantorans to come over to our side and to negotiate the length of our stay with them. However, I do not expect things to go smoothly. I fully expect the Appeasers or Expansionists to try something, either a hostage situation or an assassination."
"So you want us to keep an eye on Lasky and Melody," Dare guessed.
"Correct," Cole said. "The mission for both of you is to keep a close watch on Lasky and Melody, while also gathering intelligence on the Appeasers and Expansionists. Captain Ford, you will be leading the surveillance team that will keep an eye on Lasky and Melody. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, inform me immediately. Should you need to, though, you have permission to use lethal means to keep Lasky and Melody safe."
"Understood, sir," Captain Ford said with a nod. "I'll make sure that Lasky and Melody are protected better than the crew is by Titanium-A armor plate."
"Very good."
"What about me, sir?" Dare asked.
"You'll be part of the infiltration and espionage team," Cole said. "Your mission is to gather intelligence on the Expansionists and Appeasers in order to find any advantage we can use to get the upper hand over them. While the Appeasers are the larger of the two, the Expansionists are your top priority. If you find anything that is out of the ordinary that is also in reference to us, inform me immediately, but if necessary you are cleared to take direct action on this matter. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Dare said. "We'll find out if the Expansionists and Appeasers are up to no good."
"Very good. The mission is all yours now. Good luck."
. . .
In another part of the galaxy, Mon Mothma was seated inside the meeting room for the Rebel High Council. Her fingers danced an arpeggio on the table as she waited for the man that they had managed to track down to come meet them. Nearby, General Jan Dodonna waited quietly, his foot tapping a rhythm on the ground as well.
It had been a trying month since the day Lasky had come and had politely refused to join the Rebel Alliance, while also pointing out its greatest flaws. Ever since that day, numerous groups had broken off from the main Rebel Alliance, each one determined to fight the Empire in the way they felt was best. Some had permanently broken off, while others indicated that they would rejoin once the Rebel Alliance had sorted out its leadership and organizational problems.
Even so, the main Rebel Alliance had shrunken to just half of the size that it had been. During this time, Alliance Intelligence had been looking for someone that could effectively handle the military side of the Rebel Alliance, which would allow Mon Mothma to organize the civilian government and get it going. At long last, we've finally tracked down the very man we need, the very man that we once rejected, she thought.
It was then that the doors on the other side of the chamber opened, with a pair of Rebel Troopers moving to either side. The man that walked between the two guards was tall, with dark brown eyes, tan skin and gray hair that was whitening in small strips. He wore a robe-like uniform that had some motifs woven into the material, though he walked with the determination that a soldier had.
Mon Mothma smiled upon seeing the man. That man was former Imperial Senator Garm Bel Iblis. One of the first Senators to oppose Palpatine's gradual acquisition of power, Garm Bel Iblis had long called for an armed insurrection against the Empire, especially after a death mark had been placed on his head. Due to differences between himself and Mon Mothma, the two had slowly drifted apart, with Garm Bel Iblis eventually leaving the main Rebel Alliance due to those differences in ideology and methodology.
Apparently, he had heard about what had happened, and had decided to see for himself what was going on. "Mon Mothma," he said. "You look well."
"And so do you, Garm," Mon Mothma said. "I take it you heard about what happened just under a month ago?"
"Yes," Garm Bel Iblis said. "I heard that you got your butts reamed out by a newcomer. To be honest, I don't know why you've called me back to lead the Rebel Alliance. Would be so kind as to explain."
"Yes," Mon Mothma said. Garm Bel Iblis could be a very direct and oftentimes rude man, though this belied his nature as a true believer in the Republic. "Around a month ago, as you no doubt know, we established first contact with the newcomers that assisted us in acquiring the plans for the Death Star. We then extended them the offer to join the Rebel Alliance."
"Let me guess, they said no," Garm said.
"Yes," Mon Mothma said. "The Captain of the Star Dreadnought, one Thomas Lasky, expressed his desire to remain independent from the Rebel Alliance for a number of reasons, all of which were good ones. He pointed out, however, that the Rebel Alliance's leadership was flawed, and that we needed to reorganize ourselves if we were to effectively fight the Empire."
"I don't suppose you have any hologram footage of this meeting, yes?" Garm asked.
"We do," Mon Mothma said. Pressing a hidden button, she began to play the footage of Lasky's meeting with her and the others.
Garm Bel Iblis watched silently as he heard Lasky's words to the Rebel Council, as well as their reaction to how he picked apart many of their faults and flaws. For Mon Mothma, seeing the footage reminded her of that day. To her, Lasky had been like a father that had been gently, but firmly, disciplining a rowdy child. His words had been harsh, but it was clear that he felt that they had potential, potential that was being wasted due to poor organization and the like.
Once the footage ended, Garm Bel Iblis smiled and looked at Mon Mothma. "I had a feeling that someone was going to set you straight eventually. Still, I have to admit, for a dressing down, that was on the harsher side of things. I can see why you brought me back into the fold."
"Exactly," Mon Mothma said. "The Rebel Alliance is badly disorganized, and we don't have a civilian government that can keep the military in check. You yourself pointed this out before you left, and now, as Lasky told us before leaving our 'chickens' have come home to roost, meaning our mistakes have come back to haunt us.
"That is why I requested a meeting with you, Iblis. I cannot effectively manage a military government. In fact, I never asked for this position in the first place, as I knew of that flaw in my personality. You, however, are a military man. You have experience in dealing with military matters and in getting resistance groups organized. You are also a charismatic man, which means that, if need be, you can lead the Rebel Alliance, while I can be an aide for you."
Iblis nodded at those words. "A fair estimation," he said. "In fact, I fully agree with his assessment. If you need someone to handle the military side of things and, if need be, to become the leader of the Rebel Alliance, then I accept. However, there is one thing I would like to do."
"And that would be?"
"I would like to talk with Captain Lasky personally," Iblis said. "You said in your message that we can contact them using normal means now, so speaking with him is fully possible. Besides, with a Star Dreadnought like that, and a military organization like what they have, I'll bet that they'll have some advice for us on how to organize our military. Plus, his Envoy could give us tips on how to organize the civilian side of things, so that things function smoothly and normally."
"I believe that is an excellent idea," Mon Mothma said. "We will have to contact them tomorrow, but I believe that is an excellent idea. I'm glad that you've decided to come back to us."
"And just in time from the looks of it," Iblis said. "I've got a lot of work to do in order to get the Rebel Alliance back onto its feet. Best get to it right now."
. . .
Far away, in another galaxy, another Admiral was wondering what was going on as he headed towards the meeting room inside of HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6. Striding down the hallways, Fleet Admiral Joseph Harper advanced through the door and into the meeting room the UNSC Security Council had called him to. Looking around, he found that everyone on the Security Council, from Hogan and Hood, to Parangosky and Strauss, were sitting in the chairs in the room. Parangosky, he thought, doing a double take as he looked at her. I guess it's serious enough that she came back onto the job, maybe even as the Director of Naval Intelligence.
He took a breath to settle his nerves before sitting down at the table before him. "Sirs," he said. "I was told that I needed to speak with you. Is there something you need?"
"More like something we have to tell you," Parangosky said. "I'll let Hood explain."
"Thank you, Parangosky," Hood said. Clearing his throat, he said, "Are you aware of the Infinity's disappearance?"
"Yes," Harper said. "I was in contact with one of my friends onboard the ship when the COM link cut out. I was also part of the task force that was assigned to finding the Infinity. Beyond that, the only other thing that I know of is that we found a probe in the Epsilon Indi system that had the Infinity's distress signal and IFF. Why do you ask? Is there something you know that I don't?"
"Yes," Hood said. "What most people don't know is that we found a log buoy that was inside of the probe. According to the log buoy and the report that Captain Lasky sent to us, the Infinity's Slipspace drive malfunction launched it into another galaxy. However, that is not the most surprising part. Parangosky?"
"Thank you, Hood," Parangosky said. "According to the intelligence we gathered from the log buoy, the Andromeda Galaxy, the one that Lasky is currently in, is teeming with intelligent life. His report also indicates the presence of a totalitarian regime known as the Galactic Empire, as well as an Insurrection that is opposed to them known as the Rebel Alliance." Osman handed Harper a data pad as she said this.
Taking the data pad, Harper skimmed through it with a practiced eye, only slowing down when he noted something odd or interesting. Coming onto the section for the Empire, and the species within it, he said, "Is it just me, or is the twenty million sentient and/or sapient species count a little off? You guys must be joking about that."
"If we were joking about this, you'd know by now," Hood said. "As it stands, we are not joking. Over twenty three AIs have independently verified the information with an accuracy of 99% and an error margin of 1%. This is the legitimate data that we have."
"Really?" Harper asked. "Shit. Looks like Lasky stumbled onto a gold mine, as well as a pile of shit, at the same time. From the looks of it, the Empire sounds like the Covenant 2.0, while the Rebel Alliance is the Insurrection 2.0."
"That's about the size of it," Hood said with a nod. "We ended up having a hostile first contact with the Galactic Empire over the planet known as Scarif. They retrieved information on an Imperial superweapon that was being developed there, as well as some operatives that could prove to be useful."
"A superweapon?" Harper asked with a hint of dread. "Don't tell me that we've got another Halo in the Andromeda Galaxy now. Do we?"
"Not quite like that, but something close to it," Parangosky said. "The Empire's constructed a 160 kilometer large spherical space station that they call the 'Death Star.' It's weapon is a particle beam that is powerful enough to literally destroy a planet at it's highest power setting. We've found a weakness in the design, but getting a payload to that weakness is going to be much easier said than done." While she said this, Harper watched a short clip of the Death Star's main gun firing.
His face paled slightly before he spoke. "Shit. I can see now why Lasky, in his report, requested a quintuple of NOVA Bombs to be sent to the Infinity. That's the only real thing that I can think of that can blast the Death Star apart like a grenade. Anything else I need to know?"
"Yes," Hood said. "That data pad has information on the main class of ship that is used in the Galactic Empire, known as the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer. I take it you're seeing the information for it right now?"
"Yep," Harper said. "Impressive loadout, if a bit lacking in terms of armor. In other areas, though, it's a laughably bad design. Placing the bridge onto a tower at the back of the ship? That's basically painting a target sign that's saying, 'please shoot me. I'm a dumbass.' Those turbolasers, though, could do some damage to a UNSC ship. What's their estimation?"
"They're more powerful than our weapons during the Covenant-UNSC War, but weaker than Covenant weapons. As of right now, our weapon systems are neck-and-neck with theirs, though their projectile shields are very weak. Their armor plating's tough, but a mini-MAC was able to tear through the armor and cause significant damage."
"That's good news," Harper said. "I was worried that they'd have uber-strong shields to compensate for their shitty design. Are there any other ship designs listed here?"
"Yes," Hood said. "Cortana was able to hack into the Empire's COM network, the HoloNet, and get more information for us to make good use of."
"I see," Harper said. Putting the datapad down, he said, "I take it you're placing me in charge of the fleet that's heading there, if there's a fleet that is going to head there."
"Yes," Hood said. "We've been quietly putting together a task force that will travel to the Andromeda Galaxy once it is fully ready to go. You'll be in command of that fleet, which will be composed of a 100 warship strong Battle Group, a construction fleet, as well as a supply fleet that will ferry goods and cargo with you. Given that the Infinity might be damaged, we're going to be taking a month to get everything together, so that we have plenty of supplies in case something happens. The construction fleet will also be laying down HoloCOM enhanced Slipspace COM buoys in order to maintain FTL communications with our galaxy. Parangosky and Osman will also send their intelligence gathering and espionage forces there to get what we can from the Empire clandestinely. Understood?"
"Understood," Harper said. "What happens once I get there?"
"You'll be in charge of all UNSC forces in the Andromeda Galaxy," Hood said. "Once you get there, you'll head to wherever Lasky and the Infinity is staying at for the duration and link up with them. If they've managed to negotiate with the natives to stay at a planet, the fleet will head to that planet. You will also have the power to promote Lasky to the upper half of Rear Admiral once you get there. His handling of the situation has been in keeping with the UNSC's highest traditions."
"I see," Harper said. "Well, if that's what you need me to do, I'll get it done. You have my word on it."
"Good," Hood said. "Should all go well, you'll not only be heading to the Andromeda Galaxy within twenty five days time, you'll also be giving us a much needed leg-up on the Empire. Dismissed."