Mantle of Responsibility

by GeorgeQuartz

10 Years after the Human-Covenant war and an Alliance between the Sangheili and Humanity keeps that Milky Way stable, soon though, a dead battlefield is discovered and the discovery encounter leads to UNSC military forces being deployed to the edge of the Andromeda Galaxy, also known as...The Outer Rim. (21BBY & 2564 AD Story start year)

28. Chapter Twenty-Six: Oly Oly Oxen Free

I can't believe it—we're finally here—the very last chapter of MOR. I'm not going to lie; there were times when I thought I would just end up abandoning the project with a dozen different ending ideas in my head. While I finally managed to finish it, I spent an extra long time trying to finish up everything I could as neatly as possible. However, there are one or two things I left unanswered on purpose, just to let your imagination do some wandering. Who knows, maybe someone will do a continuation of the story where I left off; it is not like I can sue whoever does.

One thing I found kind of odd while writing this chapter is that there isn't really an official title for the leader of the CIS. It is just 'head of state', with no president, Chancellor, or prime minister. As for the uniforms in this chapter, I wasn't strictly sure if they should have been black dress uniforms instead. Apart from Ezra's birthday on Empire Day, there is minimal canon mention of species celebrating birthdays. I did include it in this chapter, though. As with the last few chapters, I started thinking this one would be way shorter than it turned out to be. I was expecting this one to be 10,000 words maximum. However, just like with almost every single chapter, it ended up being much longer than I was expecting. Nothing crazy, like an extra 20,000 words. The word count for this chapter is about 17,500. I wanted to make sure that the last chapter was about an hour's worth of reading.

Oh, and one more little going-away present. I plan on going through every chapter to attempt to fix every grammar error, continuity mistake, and other mistake you can think of. Hopefully, it will make a new read a lot more enjoyable from start to finish. So far, I have already done chapters 1 to 9. Hoping to get the others done after a couple of weeks. Pretty certain I'll end up saying it again at the bottom, but by god, there are hundreds upon hundreds of grammatical, continuity, punctuation, and more errors in every chapter. Based on the amount I have fixed so far, I estimate there is probably another 10,000 to 15,000 to fix.

Replies to Chapter Twenty-Five:

Guest DCDGojira - Once again, cheers. I'll miss seeing some of the reviews from long-term readers like you.

Krieger Techpriest - I was wondering how many people would get that reference. Oly Oly Oxen Free, All out in the free, We're all free.

DojoYoyo - Thanks, mate.

Razor11729 - Cheers. I don't remember ever mentioning the UNSC Eternity in this story. Of course, the Eternity was meant to be the sister ship of the Infinity. Still, because pre-manufactured modules of hull sections and weapon systems intended for the Eternity were instead redirected for the Infinity, she was incomplete as of 2560. I'll make a few references to it in this chapter, though.

Asainpotter1 - I agree. I know the Halo 4 film and a few books focus more on Lasky than Four or Guardians, but he has always been one of my favourite less-looked-at characters. I'm really hoping he survived the destruction of the Infinity (Which I'm still somewhat annoyed happened at all). As for the Sanghili, it was a little something I'd kind of been planning for a little while and left out any mention just so the surprise would actually be one. It might have taken me nearly four years, but I am so glad I never abandoned this story, even if I did make one or two really long breaks here and there.

Ironskys - I assume that is in reference to the little note I put in chapter 2 about listening to 'Light is Green' from Halo 5 Guardians. It is actually one of my favourite Halo tracks, and because it fits in well with the scene, I thought I'd just mention it. I kind of wish I didn't, though, since it breaks the ambience of the scene. You are correct, though; the Halo theme is also good.

William Killian - What on Earth are you on about? I haven't mentioned DEFCON in that chapter in context to the story or outside of it as an author's note.

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Chapter Twenty-Six: Oly Oly Oxen Free (Finale)

05:00 Hours, July 5th, 2565 (Military Calander)

Andromeda Galaxy, Outer Rim, Kamino

Tipoca City

Captain Jack's bones ached all over his body, and his muscles throbbed. Over the last several hours, he and his team had been through hell. Fighting their way through countless clone troopers, they might as well have been stuffed into drop pods and launched into a Separatist droid factory. As if their mission of infiltrating one of the most clone soldier-dense places in the galaxy wasn't daunting enough, they were taking extra care not to kill any of the clone troopers they were up against.

Most of Fireteam Resolute did have brand new non-lethal MA6-NLs, designed to cause unconsciousness in humanoid beings for up to 24 hours, depending on the setting. However, very little of the mission was as simple as pointing a rifle at a target and pulling the trigger. He and the rest of his men were still being shot at with live ammunition and having thermal detonators hurled toward them. It was the furthest thing from a simple training scenario that could be imagined.

Multiple times, Captain Jack had lost his shields entirely and had to rely on his armour plating for protection when exposed to enemy fire and shrapnel. Even though it was likely some of the best armour in the galaxy, made from a mixture of Titanium-A and forerunner alloy, it wasn't invincible. Several shots in small but critical weak points and continued fire in concentrated positions created several small cracks and dents, leaving him more vulnerable by the second.

Now, though, time almost seemed to freeze. Tiny wisps of smoke still rose from the Spartan's scared armour, and the faint hum of his shield generators started to emerge. When the silence suddenly fell upon them all, Jack's own ragged breathing was one of the few things he could actually hear. Having pushed himself to complete the mission in what he was sure was a move which would end up with him being gunned down instantly, Jack successfully dispatched the new orders to the entirety of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Lifting his head with a leather creak, Jack analysed his surroundings. To his back was an injured Captain Rex and Rookie, the latter of whom was in critical condition. Pivoting around, his eyes landed on Ahsoka, who still had her lightsabers out and in a defensive stance. She, too, was out of breath after the ordeal of deflecting more blaster bolts in a couple of hours than some entire battles. Captain Jack's overall hearing was still coming back to him, and apart from his own body, all he could hear for several more seconds was muffled noises.

As he finally pointed his head forward, the Spartan Captain was faced with several platoons' worth of clone soldiers that, just seconds earlier, had been firing on him, Ahoksa, and his team. It was a mix of Kamino security and Shock Troopers of the Coruscant Guard. Now that the firefight was all but over, some of them looked to each other, others to their former targets. More than half of them had removed their helmets, including the highest-ranking officer in the room, Commander Fox.

Behind him and slowly creeping forward, most of Captain Jack's team lowered their weapons but kept them at the ready. Pulling himself up, Jack's first move upon witnessing the unspoken ceasefire was to remove his helmet.

"Captain…Jack, we did it. It's over," Ahsoka repeated to him.

Blinking rapidly as he lowered his helmet to his side, the Captain gazed at the young former Jedi as all his senses suddenly rushed back to him. He knew that order 66 had been issued by the Chancellor to the clones, that Iona and Fireteam Royal had failed their assassination, and that in the few minutes the order was active, it was likely that hundreds if not thousands of unsuspecting Jedi had been killed. He knew there was a political and military hellstorm brewing already. He'd face it soon enough.

Before he could respond, both Kix and Jun rapidly approached.

"Sir, Echo and Rex are gonna be okay, but Rookie is in critical condition," Kix alerted him.

"I've called in for a MEDEVAC," Jun informed.

"No, that'll take too long," Master Ti interjected.

"He doesn't have much time, sir. We used what Bio-foam we had to keep him alive, but his condition is deteriorating too quickly," Jun said.

The situation looked bleak, and for the briefest of moments, Captain Jack thought he was going to lose a member of his team until Shaak Ti spoke up again, only not to them.

"Commander, get a medical team in here and make sure there is a bacta tank waiting in the medical bay," She ordered.

Commander Fox and Fireteam Resolute openly displayed their looks of mixed confusion and nervousness. Master Ti seemed almost too accepting of the situation to the UNSC soldiers. Just moments earlier, hundreds of clone troopers had turned on her and tried to kill her in cold blood; now, she was once again issuing orders as a General like nothing had happened.

On the platform lower than the Spartans and Jedi, Commander Fox acknowledged the order bid but didn't respond right away. He was seemingly still just as dazed as his men after being released from the grip of the mind-altering contingency order they'd been unwillingly forced to obey. Fox quickly regained hold of his senses.

"Yes…General," he said, still with a curved brow of confusion. Huxley, Reacher, fetch a stretcher. I'll radio for a medical team to be ready," he replied.

Across from him, Captain Jack felt a wave of immediate relief. Walking over to where Rookie's body lay, he immediately noticed the level of damage that he'd taken during the battle. When they had been forced to breach through a portion of a wall, Rookie had been the last one through and was the sole target of a collection of clones. The former ODST had survived the leap to safety, but the concentrated enemy fire killed the link between his armour's reactor and shield generator.

Permanently without shields, every blaster bolt he took to his armour had at least some lasting effect. When Rookie dived in front of Captain Rex to shield his own Captain, he took a shot at point-blank range to the chest. A combination of no shields, weakened armour, and the expert marksmanship of a clone veteran meant that he was currently unconscious with a black smouldering wound in his chest.

A small cloud of white bio-foam lined the interior of the wound, but it was apparent it wouldn't last for long, causing Jack yet more relief that help was on the way. It still hurt to look at, though, seeing one of his team members in such a state. As cold as it felt to think in his head, Captain Jack would have considered a single casualty within acceptable mission parameters and much less than what he expected anyone would have expected.

Stepping past the Captain, Kix resumed monitoring Rookie's condition. Watching over him, Jack found Ahsoka and Shaak Ti by his side. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave a regrettable glare to Captain Rex, who was currently being looked at by two other clone troopers. His look didn't go unnoticed by either Ahsoka or Shaak Ti.

"It isn't his fault. You know that, right?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yeah…I know," Jack replied, trying to reassure her.

Letting out a sigh, Captain Jack's signature look of determination returned. Looking around him, he made sure that nobody else was within immediate earshot before gently pulling Ahsoka aside.

"When the room is clear, stay here. We've still got work to do." He said subtly.

After several minutes, stretchers and medical personnel began flooding the room. In addition to Rookie, Rex, and Echo, they checked up on the dozens of stunned bodies lying across the city's hallways. However, as soon as the first teams rushed into the room, Rookie was the first casualty they focused on. Kix gave the two clone medics a rapid rundown and diagnostic before they loaded him onto the hover-stretcher and quickly left the room along with Kix and Jun.

Unlike when order 66 was activated, the clones were not immediately sprung back from their blind obedience. When Sidious had dispatched the contingency order, the inhibitor chips within the clones caused them to snap to attention like a twig and carry out whatever order was given to them by the Sith. Now, each clone was slowly coming around, and the evidence was clear.

Some of the white armoured soldiers reacted better than others. Commander Fox and several of the medics managed to ween themselves off the dazed emotions they were currently feeling and get a hold of themselves. Other clones weren't so quick to come back from unquestioning obedience, though. Throughout the room, as well as the rest of Kamino, countless clones were still stuck in a trance-like state, unsure of what to do.

As soon as order 66 was given, the clones lost all control over their actions. The second Captain Jack belayed it, it was like they had been jolted awake from a paralysing coma. With each passing minute, Corporals, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains began to bring their men back under control and help awaken them.

While the medics did their work, what remained of Fireteam Resolute stood idle until they received orders. Captain Jack needed to be more focused on giving his team commands. Instead, he walked over to Shaak Ti, who was in the middle of a conversation with Commander Fox and a Captain of the Kamino security force.

"Head back to the secondary security room, bring Kamino out of lockdown, but have all troops stay on high alert. This doesn't feel over just yet," Shaak Ti ordered.

"Yes, General," Both clones replied.

Approaching behind her as the clones departed, Captain Jack made his presence known.

"General," He said.

"Captain," Shaak Ti replied.

Unsure of how to continue after everything that had transpired, Captain Jack thought it best to begin with the apology he had owed her since their fight a fortnight earlier.

"I hope now it's clear why I couldn't reveal any of what I know when Fives and I…did what we did," Jack said, only to feel a light punch in the back of his right shoulder.

Captain Jack looked over his shoulder to see Ahsoka staring at him with an annoyed look of confusion. The Spartan Captain wasn't as cold as some other Spartans, but he could tell by the look on Ahsoka's face that his apology could hardly be called one at all. With Ahsoka gesturing back to Shaak Ti, Jack tried to give an apology that lived up to her standard for fear of another light attack in the back.

"You have my apology, General. These last few weeks, I've not known who I can trust, and I did everything I thought was right," Jack said.

Assuming that the lack of a fist to his shoulder meant his apology was acceptable enough, Jack waited for Shaak Ti to turn around or at least say something to him. He knew that Shaak Ti was a patient person, even for a Jedi. However, the seconds that passed until she turned around to face him were agonising, and even when she did, Jack found it next to impossible to read her face. He subtly reminded himself never to play a game of cards with her.

"Before I was about to be gunned down by my own soldiers, I could feel the deaths of Jedi across the galaxy. Hundreds, possibly thousands of Jedi were killed by the clones they'd fought alongside through countless battles. Masters, Knights, Apprentices, I thought I would soon join them when the clones raised their weapons against me," Shaak Ti said.

For a moment, Jack thought that his apology had meant nothing to her and that her feelings towards him were…less than favourable.

"It was only when your friends saved my life and fought their way to you and Ahsoka that I was able to understand why you never said anything about what was happening. If you'd not done what you did, I would have let Fives meet with the Chancellor and possibly his death. The entire Jedi order could have fallen today," She continued.

Without his helmet on, Jack's look of surprise at her change in words was clear as day.

"Instead, we're still alive, and the extermination of the Jedi has halted," she said.

"Do I have your forgiveness?" Jack asked. "I swear I would have saved more if I could," He added.

"You don't need to convince me of that, Captain," Shaak Ti said. "As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing to forgive," She said.

Jack looked back to Ahsoka briefly.

"Though, I will admit," Shaak Ti said, regaining the Spartan's attention. "I was impressed at the skill you displayed. Not just anyone can defeat a Jedi Master in combat," She said.

Somewhat surprised that the Jedi Master wasn't harbouring any anger toward him, Jack relented his nervousness and tried to get his mind back on the task at hand. Though he would prefer to do it himself, he knew he'd need the combined abilities of Ahsoka and Shaak Ti to do what needed to be done.

"There's still one more thing we need to do," Captain Jack said, glancing between Ahsoka and Shaak Ti.

"What?" Ahsoka asked.

Captain Jack didn't immediately answer her but instead opened the small panel attached to his wrist's armour panel. On the small screen, an icon of Kix appeared, as well as his name and military number just beneath.

"Kix, status?" Captain Jack asked.

"We're en route to the medical bay now, sir. Rookie is just barely stable, but he won't stay that way for long unless we get him to the Medbay's bacta tank," Kix explained.

"Understood. I need you to bring his armour back here as soon as possible, specifically the fusion reactor," Jack ordered.

"His fusion reactor?" Kix asked in confusion, "Its link to the rest of the armour is severed; without it, the reactor is just sitting in safe mode, sir," He said.

"I'm aware, Kix. Stay with Rookie; have Jun bring it back here as soon as he's able," Captain Jack ordered, closing the panel.

"Wanna let us in on the plan, big guy?" Ahsoka asked.

Before answering her, Captain Jack carefully examined the room and the two of them. Less than half the clones who were in the room during the fight had left, and those that remained were mostly unconscious or medics who were far too busy to listen to whatever he was talking about.

"We don't have much time. Soon enough, both our people will descend on this place to find out what happened. I don't trust my own people with the knowledge of what happened, let alone the Republic," Jack said.

"You're talking about a cover-up," General Ti surmised,

There was a short silence. The three of them had already dealt with one secret betrayal, and now they were beginning to start one of their own. Ahsoka and Shaak Ti looked at each other and their surroundings. The bodies of the fallen clones were a stark reminder of everything that had brought them to such a choice.

"What did you have in mind?" Ahsoka asked.

"Iona and the rest of Royal should have the cherry on top of all the other evidence to have Palpatine removed from power. I imagine the CIS will deny any cooperation with the Chancellor, but with him gone, their chances of winning against both the GAR and UNSC will have dropped significantly," Captain Jack stated.

"Even if the Chancellor is removed from power, the reveal that the Republic was in the control of a Sith lord will test the resolve of both the Senate and the Jedi Order," Shaak Ti said.

Captain Jack nodded in agreement. "This is why it can't be said that the clone army and the contingency orders are still active and technically under UNSC authority. I will take this secret to my grave," Captain Jack said.

"Too many people know, Spartan. Every clone heard you belay order 66. The security footage of your assault on Kamino can't be hidden now," Shaak Ti said.

Letting a slight smirk sneak onto his face, Jack knew that very few within this galaxy knew the true capabilities of the Office of Naval Intelligence. If there was one thing every marine, Spartan, and Admiral knew, it was that it was better not to know when it came to ONI's spooks.

"All those clones heard A voice, General. As for the security footage, I'm sure you'll find it mysteriously missing or corrupted in the coming days," Jack added, capturing glances at the scenes around him. Only a few single clones remained, and of those few, half were completely incapacitated.

"Outside of my team, the two of you are the only ones that will ever know the truth about what happened here. We have to do this for the sake of both galaxies. If anyone ever finds out that the entire Republic military was compromised first by a Sith, then by an ordinary Spartan, we'll have another war on our hands before we know it." Captain Jack informed the two.

"He's right," Shaak Ti said, looking at Ahsoka.

Ahsoka remained silent but accepted that it was the truth.

"Then there is only one thing left to do," Jack said.

"What?" Ahsoka asked.

"Even for the Republic, removing the inhibitor chips from each and every single clone is too big of a risk and logistical challenge. So, we make sure that the capability to control them is eliminated," Jack said.

"But you're the only authorised person who can give any of the orders," Ahsoka stated with a concerned voice.

"I know, and since I'm not quite ready to throw myself into a graveyard on Reach just yet, I'll settle for the next best thing," Jack said.

Without further talk, the Spartan Captain withdrew his lightsaber and approached the console from which he had been dictated the new and only permitted being in the galaxy to activate any of the 150 clone contingency orders. In a switch-striking motion, he plunged the sword into the smooth white piece of Kaminoan technology. Once buried all the way to the hilt, he dragged the sabre in a clockwise motion in a large arc, bringing it all the way to the edge of the station.

Once he had come full circle with his weapon, he stepped back. Captain Jack looked at Ahsoka and Shaak Ti, and he sent his request along to them. Taking a stance on either side of the Captain, both of them reached out with force, and the giant white cutout, still white-hot from the lightsaber and bursting with sparks, was slowly pulled out from the piller it was encased in.

"Jun, keep track of my location; we're on the move," Captain Jack said over TEAMCOM. "Follow me," He said to Ahsoka and Shaak Ti.

Making their way through the corridors of Tipoca City, Captain Jack led the procession with the cutout console floating between Ahsoka and Shaak Ti like a casket, both using the Force to keep it steady. The occasional group of clone troopers they encountered either stood aside in confusion or were too preoccupied with their own recovery from the effects of Order 66 to pay them much attention.

The lights flickered sporadically overhead, casting eerie shadows across the walls as they traversed the dimly lit corridors. Captain Jack's mind raced with the weight of their actions, the enormity of what they were attempting to conceal settling heavily on his shoulders. Yet, he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing solely on the task at hand.

Ahsoka and Shaak Ti remained silent, their expressions a mix of determination and concern. As they approached the exit leading to the hangar overlooking the vast ocean of Kamino, Captain Jack could feel the console's weight growing heavier with each step. The strain of maintaining their hold on it was beginning to show, but neither Ahsoka nor Shaak Ti faltered.

Finally reaching the exit, they emerged onto the platform overlooking the churning waters below. The sound of crashing waves echoed in the distance, a constant reminder of the world they were leaving behind. Captain Jack glanced back at his companions, gratitude and determination shining in his eyes.

"We're almost there," he said, his voice firm with resolve.

Pushing on, the wind whipped at their cloaks and under-armour suits as they made their way to the waiting edge. As they reached the edge of the platform, Captain Jack took one last look back at Kamino's main city domes, knowing that their actions would shape the fate of both galaxies for years to come. With a silent nod to his companions, they dropped the hunk of machine heart down onto the metal platform, which was absent from any ship.

"What now?" Ahsoka asked. "We just push this thing into the ocean?"

"I'm not taking the chance. It's bad enough I still have the power of control over the clones. I won't rest until this thing has been reduced to atoms,"

On cue, Jun emerged from the same set of doors as the three of them had. In his left hand was the small microfusion reactor used to power every version and variant of active Spartan Mjolnir armour.

"Captain," Jun said as he handed over the reactor.

Turning to face the core, Jack wedged the reactor deep within its bowels. After a quick inspection, he was satisfied with it and was sure it wouldn't come loose in the next few minutes, given what he had planned. Unknown to Shaak Ti and Ahsoka and only viewable to the rest of the Spartans of Fireteam Resolute as a status update, Captain Jack opened the self-destruct sequence for the powered assault armour.

REMOTE FAIL-SAFE DETONATION SYSTEM ACTIVATED…

WARNING! NO ARMOUR SYSTEMS DETECTED…DETONATION NOT ADVISED…

Captain Jack overrode the warning. Since the whole point of such a system was to vaporise not just the Spartan but the armour and every secret they both contained, it made sense that it would not be safe to detonate the fusion core when the 'compromised' armour wouldn't be destroyed along with it.

WARNING OVERRIDE ACCEPTED…

PLEASE ENTER 7-DIGIT PASSCODE…

"093-2552," Jack said.

CODEPHRASE REQUIRED…

"First Strike," Jack said.

DETONATION READY FOR REMOTE ACTIVATION…

"Alright, she's ready. How far do you two think you can make this thing fly?" Jack asked.

"Far enough," Shaak Ti answered.

"I hope so," Jun said. While not directly informed, he had a front-row seat to what was going on and could put two and two together.

With a nod from Captain Jack, Ahsoka and Shaak Ti extended their hands towards the console, their fingers curling as they focused their concentration. The air around them seemed to shimmer as the Force flowed through them, enveloping the console. Together, they lifted the console off the platform, the Force's weightlessness making the task seem effortless despite its size. With a coordinated effort, they guided it over the edge of the platform and out into the open air, suspended above the churning waters below.

As the console soared through the air, propelled by Ahsoka and Shaak Ti's combined strength, Captain Jack activated the remote detonation sequence for the fusion reactor nestled within it. He watched as the countdown timer appeared on his HUD, ticking away the seconds until detonation.

15…14…13…12…11

With the computer core picking up speed, it also started to descend downwards towards the sea. With each passing second, the two force users began to lose their grip on the console, which was gaining more and more distance from them. Their struggle was visible, as Captain Jack saw both of them visibly shaking at the wrists and hands to keep going, Ahsoka more than Master Ti.

10…9…8…7…6

It wasn't long before the core became too small for even a Spartan III such as Jun to see it with his naked eye. Engaging his enhanced optical abilities through his helmet, Captain Jack observed the flying computer core turn into a speck that he lost just as quickly over the horizon. His onboard computer likely would have told him that the core, as well as the reactor, had made contact with the water and was now sinking into the depths of Kamino's ocean.

5…4…3…2…1

There was no immediate status update from the detonation system, not that one was really required. The blast created by the detonation of a microfusion reactor was big enough that if a Spartan were close enough to activate it, they would be close enough to see and hear it by the time the detonation occurred.

Instead of seeing a blindingly bright light in the distance, though, Jack and the others settled for a giant shockwave appearing under the water far away.

Captain Jack, Ahsoka, and Shaak Ti observed the aftermath of the detonation from the platform overlooking the ocean; they couldn't help but notice the immediate impact on the water below.

At first, there was a tremendous explosion of water and foam as the shockwave propagated outward from the point of impact. Waves surged upwards, towering over the surface before crashing back down with a thunderous roar. The force of the explosion sent ripples spreading across the ocean, creating a series of concentric circles that expanded outward in all directions.

As the shockwave travelled further away from the epicentre, its intensity gradually diminished. The waves became smaller and less violent, their peaks and troughs smoothing out as they approached the platform. What had initially been a chaotic display of raw power, transformed into a gentle undulation of the water's surface.

By the time the waves reached the base of the platform, they had dwindled to mere ripples, their energy spent against the resistance of the ocean. The water lapped gently against the metal structure, the sound a soothing contrast to the violence of the explosion moments before. Captain Jack, Ahsoka, and Shaak Ti watched in silence as the ocean gradually returned to its calm state, the last remnants of the shockwave fading into the distance.

"Can't wait for the briefing after this one," Jun said, breaking the tension of the dying explosion.

Before Captain Jack or even General Ti gave any further orders, Fives emerged onto the platform. The rising Kaminoan sun gave Fives' armour a slight glint as small rays shot through Kamino's usual thick cloud coverage.

"Sir," Fives said as he approached. "Communication from Coruscant, it's Captain Ajex," Fives said as he handed over the UNSC-issued holo communicator.

Captain Jack quickly checked his onboard communications system for any alerts. It was blank. "I didn't receive any requests from him. Why didn't he contact me directly?" Jack asked.

Fives barely moved aside from a barely noticeable glance to Jun. Jack tried to read him, but his helmet made it extremely difficult.

"I…think you should talk to him, sir," Fives said, further extending the small comm device to the Spartan Captain.

Taking his helmet off, Captain Jack stepped forward, took the holo communicator from Fives and stepped back further towards the centre of the platform.

"Sir, Captain Jack A-127," Captain Jack said at attention as soon as the live image of the well-known Titan-Class Dreadnaught Captain.

"At ease, Spartan," Captain Ajex said. I'm afraid Admiral Lasky is still too busy fighting off the remaining CIS forces that are refusing to flee or surrender. He's ordered me to relay to your team that Fireteam Royal was successful, and the HVT is dead," he declared.

Immediately, a dozen different thoughts went racing through Captain Jack's mind. Though he had managed to suppress it, he felt a severe sense of dread when he heard Iona's voice over his comm. She had told him that they had failed, and Iona sounded in severe pain when she had done so. At the time, he had his own mission to focus on, and the lives of everyone around him depended on its success. Now that his part of the two-team operation was finished, he had questions for both the ship Captain and Spartan Captain.

Before he could ask any of his questions, Captain Ajex continued with his debriefing. "Additionally, the activation of the clone army's inhibitor chips was halted, and Count Dooku's ship was shot down when he tried to flee Coruscant,"

That got all their attention.

While the CIS had its own parliament and voted on certain matters just like the Republic, Count Dooku was the official head of state for the Confederacy, and what he said went, whether the members of the CIS knew it or not. To hear that, alongside Palpatine, Count Dooku had also been killed during the battle of Coruscant meant that the war had just taken one giant leap towards ending.

"Fireteam Royal is currently en route to the UNSC Hopeful. Spartans Matt and Lexi sustained moderate injuries after engaging Palpatine," Captain Ajex said with reserved constraint as if waiting for an inevitable punch to the chest.

"Can you put me through to Captain Iona? I'll need to inform her of our developments," Captain Jack said, making sure not to reveal anything about their mission. Even though Admiral Lasky had high trust in Captain Ajex, Jack had no idea how much of their mission he was aware of, if he knew anything at all, nor was he about to reveal such classified information over what he didn't know was a completely secure communication.

Captain Ajex flinched and closed his eyes for several seconds. The punch to the stomach he had been waiting for had finally made contact.

Looking at his facial expressions, Captain Jack's level of worry for his former Captain spiked but then slowly started to come down as he realised she wasn't in critical condition or trapped somewhere behind enemy lines. Jack felt like he had taken an energy sword to the chest. Iona had been more than just a teammate; she had been a friend, a comrade-in-arms, and a trusted leader. Her death left a void that would be difficult to fill.

Wishing from the start that he had left his helmet on, the Spartan Captain lowered his arm, holding the holo emitter. He wanted to ask how and why but didn't find himself speaking before the Captain.

"The UNSC Angel of Mons is in orbit. She'll be deploying a drop ship to retrieve your team," Captain Ajex informed.

"Understood, Sir," Captain Jack replied as the image fizzled out.

From what Jack could remember, the Angel of Mons was a Razor-Class prowler operated by the Office of Naval Intelligence. If Captain Ajex had been made aware of the ship's existence and location, Jack could have guessed as to its purpose. There was no doubt that ONI had been spying on the planet since before the defence for Kamino almost a year earlier. However, if Admiral Lasky knew about it and was willing to tell Captain Ajex, it would likely be there to keep track of their mission and act as a backup if they failed.

One of the worst possible outcomes of Fireteam Royal and Fireteam Resolutes missions was that they failed, and the United Earth Government ended up at war with the Republic and the CIS. If such a catastrophe had occurred, the destruction of crucial enemy facilities would have been HIGHCOM's first priority. A Razor-Class prowler was only 160 meters long and didn't have the proper facilities to launch something as dangerous and expensive as a NOVA bomb.

It would likely have been loaded with large quantities of HORNET mines or FURY tactical nuclear weapons. Designed to be more stealthy than an ordinary nuke, the HORNET could be rendered practically undetectable by cooling it to near-absolute zero temperatures. Of a much smaller yield was the FURY. It was a rugby ball-sized device with a yield of slightly less than a megaton.

When he and his team were all killed or unable to complete the mission, the prowler would likely be put on alert and ready to decimate every Republic facility on Kamino at a moment's notice. Whether it was true or not, or whether Admiral Lasky knew or not, Jack didn't care.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," Ahsoka said from behind him as she approached. She rested her arm on his shoulder, stretching to reach the overly tall soldier.

Silently putting on his helmet before turning around to face the pair of Jedi and Spartans, Jack checked his seal and polarised faceplate.

"Do the others know?" Jack asked, looking at Fives.

"Yes, Sir," Fives replied.

3 Weeks Later

08:00 Hours, July 25th, 2565 (Military Calander)

Milky Way Galaxy, Orion Arm, Earth

Australia, Sydney, UEG Congressional Plaza

A flurry of chatter filled the Congressional Plaza. The heavy marble structure nestled in the heart of Earth's bustling metropolis stood as a symbol of democracy and governance for the entire planet. Towering skyscrapers surrounded the plaza, their sleek glass facades reflecting the morning sunlight that filtered through the urban skyline. A gentle breeze carried the scent of freshly brewed coffee from nearby cafes, mingling with the faint hum of traffic and the chatter of pedestrians.

At the centre of the plaza, flanked by manicured lawns and ceremonial stone pillars ablaze, stood the imposing edifice of the UEG Senate Building. Its neoclassical architecture rose majestically into the sky, adorned with grand columns and intricate carvings, a testament to its history and power.

Despite the early hour, the plaza buzzed with activity as people hurried to and fro, their footsteps echoing off the polished marble walkways. Government officials, tourists, and locals alike crisscrossed the expansive space, their conversations blending into a cacophony of voices. Amidst this bustling scene, a sense of anticipation hung in the air. Today was no ordinary day in Congressional Plaza.

Crowded all around the plaza for as far as the eye could see were hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of human civilians. Those who lived close enough to the UEG Senate building found themselves lucky enough to have a near line of sight to one of the most important events since the official end of the Human-Covenet war over a decade earlier. At the top of the long staircase and closest to the front of the senate chambers was an army of reporters, journalists, and photographers from almost every news agency on Earth, as well as a large handful of hand-picked individuals from Republic and Confederacy agencies.

Halfway down the plaza, four tall white metal flagpoles stood. On each one flew a different flag, representing the various factions present at the meeting. The United Earth Government was represented by a navy blue field with a gold outline of Earth surrounded by a laurel wreath. Following the UEG flag was the one for the Swords of Sanghelios. Featuring a black background with two monolith-like structures in red, it had three four-point diamonds in the upper centre.

Further along, was a blue field with a white central circle and a six-spoked cog-like design in blue around it. Third along the line was the flag for the Galactic Republic, a red field with a centred symbol known as the Great Seal of the Galactic Republic, consisting of a white circle with a black starburst design emanating from the centre. As the four flags waved in the sun and the slight breeze of the morning, the already active crowd started to become even more vocal when the doors to the Senate building opened, and a long series of figures started to emerge.

Leading the column was a team of four Spartans, all wearing grey and dark orange PROTECTOR-class Mjolnir armour. Designed for combat superiority during defensive engagements and optimised for zone defensive positions and forward plane coverage. Alongside the Spartans were several handfuls of armed personnel and guards from almost every part of the UEG, from police to marine honour guards.

Once the more armed detachment took up their roles and positions all around the plaza, the more recognisable faces started to emerge. Three Human faces became the first targets for the many cameras and recording drones hovering overhead: President Ruth Charet, Lord Terrance Hood and the newly promoted Vice Admiral Lasky.

Only steps behind them were the two more critical delegates. Lesser known but not strangers by any means were the leaders of the Republic and Confederacy, Chancellor Bail Organa and Separatist Congress Leader Mina Bonteri. Both new to their positions, Organa had been voted into power after the death and reveal of Palpatine's true identity as a Sith Lord and the secret hand behind the ongoing civil war. Bonteri, while one of Dooku's first supporters, had survived several assassination attempts later in the war after her multiple attempts to broker peace between the Separatists and the Republic.

With the Sith threats of Count Dooku and Lord Sideous eliminated, the new galactic leaders were ready to begin talks of peace. Despite the relatively short time since the battle of Coruscant, though, it had been anything but easy getting to this point. There had been radical changes to both sides' leaderships in the weeks leading up to the temporary ceasefire, which stood like a piece of paper balanced on a razor's edge. Senators from both sides had made sudden resignations and career changes and, in a few rare instances, wound up missing entirely.

While most of the sudden decisions were chalked up to the peace talk propositions on both sides, rumours did go around about blackmail, bribery and threats from darkly dressed and well-informed individuals who remained nameless. One of the more noticeable of the disappearances was Bec Lawise, a Siniteen male politician who served as the Separatist Congress Leader before Bonteri. While holding similar pro-peace ideals and was more than willing to sign peace treaties with both the Republic and UEG, there were still a few quiet theorists who believed he had been 'retired' by ONI in an attempt to maintain Human supremacy.

No matter what was said in hushed voices over a beverage in a bar, all sides of the war were finally in a position to end it.

Coming out last behind the three sets of dignitaries was the leader of the Sanghili Republic, Thel 'Vadam, also known as The Arbiter, and two of his aides, all armed, of course. While the Sanghili's participation in the war had been primarily minimal, their actions at the battle of Coruscant had not gone unnoticed, and they had earned a seat at the table.

Deciding on the Earth as the meeting point for all factions had caused considerable turmoil for all involved. The CIS were against it since it wasn't a neutral ground, and they were an ally of the Republic, meaning it could have very well been a trap. The Republic wanted it to be on a core world closer to Coruscant for unknown reasons, but likely, they wanted to reinforce the idea that they weren't signing a peace Treaty but a CIS surrender.

The decision was split within HIGHCOM. Half thought such an idea would have been on par with sending the Covenant an invitation and map to Earth. Meanwhile, the other half, which included Lord Hood and several other well-respected admirals, believed it would work to their advantage. Earth had always had a gigantic fleet protecting it. However, since the end of the Human-Covenant war and their entry into the Clone Wars, the number of capital ships and orbital defence platforms spiked dramatically. Hood and his supporters emerged victorious in the end, convincing others that for both sides to see what the UNSC was truly capable of might persuade both sides to behave.

One high-ranking officer had suggested holding the meeting in the UNSC Eternity's viewing gallery while orbiting the horrifying wreck of the former Sanghilie colony world Saepon'kal. He was immediately scolded and threatened with immediate demotion for mentioning such an idea. Saepon'kal was one of the sporadic cases of the UNSC using a NOVA bomb on an enemy world. Though not entirely intentional, the Sangheili never discovered what exactly had taken place at Saepon'kal, reasoning that a Jiralhanae fleet had utterly destroyed the planet by glassing it. The UEG chose to keep the information secret, knowing the terrible effect the information would have on the UEG/Sangheili alliance.

Small agreements had been made on both sides, though, regarding protection. Small detachments of Senate guards and ARC troopers had been permitted for the Republic while on Earth, and an equal number of Commando droids and Magna Guards had been authorised for the Separatists.

The six principal delegates stood firm in front of the battery of cameras. President Ruth Charet took one lone extra step forward toward the podium before speaking to the awaiting crowd, which, with the broadcasting cameras, likely numbered in the trillions across both galaxies.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you are here today for answers and to witness possibly the most important Treaty signing since the 2552 Treaty of Voi. For close to a year now, the United Earth Government has been allied with the Republic in the war against the Confederacy of Independent Systems. We entered this war after the attack on the 1st Exploratory Fleet, and whereafter, I promised that Humanity would never again be pushed to the brink. Unfortunately, no war is ever as simple as it seems,"

Pausing to look between the Republic and Separatist leaders, President Charet continued with her address.

"Further into the war, the Office of Naval Intelligence revealed that the Confederacy was obtaining large quantities of classified military material and troop movements from within the Republic Senate, with further missions to investigate the issue being authorised, we learned that not only was the information coming from the Supreme Chancellor himself but that Sheev Palpatine was one of the Republic and Jedi's most sought after enemies, a Sith Lord known as Lord Sideious, " Charet said.

There was yet another slight pause, with murmurs rising from the crowd of reporters. In the several weeks since the ceasefire, countless theories have been proposed about why the fighting had stopped and why there had been a sudden leadership change on both sides. In the early days of the UEG's entry into the war, to the Milky Way and all the Human colonies within, the stories of magic-wielding individuals who carried energy swords similar to those of the Sanghili were laughable at best and terrifying at worst.

To hear that the dark enemy of the Jedi was controlling their ally in the war the whole time sent serious shockwaves down the spines of those watching.

"Furthermore, it was only after developments following the Battle of Ringo Vinda and the bravery and intuition of Clone/Spartan Fireteam Resolute that we uncovered the plot of the former Republic Chancellor. Within the inhibitor chip of every single clone soldier in the Grand Army of the Republic is a list of contingency orders, only able to be authorised by Chancellor Palpatine himself. While the contents of these orders will remain classified, it was our firm belief that the Chancellor intended to use his control over the clone army to exterminate the Jedi as well as take full dictatorial over the Republic," President Charet concluded.

Immediately, hands started to rise from the crowd of desperate reporters and journalists. However, Lord Hood's authoritative voice quickly shut them down.

"No questions will be answered right now. This is a peace-signing Treaty," Hood reminded them.

Moving back from the podium, it was quickly removed by two press aides with the group of dignitaries marching to the side of the plaza, which was still visible to every camera and reporter. They took their seats at a wide crystal glass table. With President Charet taking the first seat, she activated the tablet in front of her that held the seal of her office and the UEG. Appearing on the screen for everyone to see was the bottom of an extremely long document with several blank dotted lines awaiting the signatures of all those currently sitting at the table.

Getting the new leaders of the Republic and Separatists to agree to a ceasefire was difficult enough; even with ONI's 'help', the vote in both Senates had barely passed. It was due to this that President Charet and countless others within the UEG and UNSC were highly concerned about presenting any form of official peace Treaty. Diplomats and Ambassadors from all four sides spent every hour, day and night, working on the terms of the Treaty so that it would be agreeable to all parties. A task that seemed impossible was completed in a matter of weeks.

"Signed Ruth Charet, President of the United Earth Government," President Charet said as she passed it along.

What seemed like a countless number of issues had to be addressed in the Treaty, and each one had entire teams of legal and diplomatic professionals tiring over until it was acceptable. If it had been written on paper, the table they were currently signing it on would likely have collapsed and shattered beneath its weight.

"Signed Lord Terrance Hood, Chief of Naval Operations," Lord Hood said, adding his signature.

"Signed Serin Osman, Commander-in-Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence," Osman said, adding her signature.

Osman and the Office of Naval Intelligence had always been a source of pain for both Hood and UNSC. While the UNSC had taken most power from the UEG during the Human-Covenant war, ONI had spent decades before and during the war consolidating a terrifying level of control above the UNSC. After the war ended, Lord Hood and most of HIGHCOM made it their mission to reign Osman and the rest of ONI back under their control. For a long time, though, the Commander-in-Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence was the most powerful position in the UEG.

"Signed Vice Admiral Thomas J. Lasky, Commander of the UNSC Andromeda Forces," Lasky said as he moved the Treaty down to the first of the Republic attendees.

Two of the primary key points of the Treaty concerned both sides' military and the fate of the planets within each organisation. Since there was no winning side in the war, a new ratio system was developed so that no one side could dominate the other. It would take several scientific and military researchers to determine such a ratio of clone to droid. Partway through the writing of the military restrictions, it was brought up that the UNSC would not be forced to abide by them. HIGHCOM justified such a decision by explaining that the recruitable population available to the UNSC was a fraction of their intergalactic counterparts and that they had much fewer planets to train soldiers, build ships, and construct war material.

Parties on both sides remained unhappy that the UNSC would face no such restriction on the number of active service members, ships, and aircraft. To help settle those concerned, Fleet Admiral Harper suggested two proposals to be included in the Treaty. First, the UEG increased its civilian census to every two years as opposed to its current ten to better keep track of the available recrutable population. Secondly, it was to maintain a maximum limit on the amount of recruits from those not of UEG citizenship. The limit would state that only 7% of the entire UNSC armed forces could be made up of non-UEG citizens.

"Signed Bail Organa, Chancellor of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic," Organa said, sliding the Treaty along to an Admiral in a Republic Navy dress uniform.

"Signed Admiral Wullf Yularen of the Galactic Republic Navy," Yularen said, adding his signature.

Even after the compromise made by the UNSC, some feared the military would use the Treaty to their advantage and grow powerful enough to challenge both groups for galactic dominance. At the same time, they were forced to capitulate due to insufficient militaries. A third and final addition was made to the draft of the military and defence section of the peace Treaty. Remarkably similar to the centuries-old North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Article 5, it stated the following.

THE PARTIES AGREE THAT AN ARMED ATTACK AGAINST ONE OR MORE OF THEM IN THE ANDROMEDA OR MILKY WAY GALAXIES WILL BE CONSIDERED AN ATTACK AGAINST ALL TREATY SIGNATORIES. THIS PROVISION AIMS TO ENSURE MUTUAL SECURITY AMONG THE SIGNATORY FACTIONS, DETERRING ANY POTENTIAL AGGRESSOR FROM INITIATING HOSTILITIES AGAINST ANY OF THE TREATY MEMBERS.

Though it went on for several more pages, outlining specifics of attacks and what counted as an organised assault against one member party, all those signing the Treaty understood that attacking a territory or associated planet of one side meant they would immediately be fighting a war on at least three separate fronts.

"Signed Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi of the High Jedi Council," Kenobi said, adding his signature before passing it along to the first of the Separatist delegates. Originally, the Jedi Council wanted to send High Council member Master Oppo Rancisis. However, as was the case with many politicians, commanders, and Jedi who survived the purge, there were now countless matters to attend to. Obi-Wan was chosen instead to not much, if any, disappointment. Throughout the war, he was a well-known leader and skilled warrior. In addition to his fighting skills, though, he was an accomplished negotiator. As one of the more well-known and heavily liked Jedi, his appearance at the Treaty signing was considered a more than satisfactory alternative.

"Signed Mina Bonteri, Head of State for the Confederacy of Independent Systems," She said, adding her signature and passing it along.

One part of the Treaty had a split between those who agreed with it and those who did not. If one planet or system wanted to leave the CIS or Republic, they could apply for temporary membership to one of the others before entirely leaving. This was included to add a layer of protection to planets that did not wish to align themselves with either government and feared the CIS or Republic governments would annex them. It was those who wanted to maintain a higher level of control over the member planets that did not wish for this part of the Treaty to be included.

The Sangheili present for the Treaty writing found themselves in the odd position of mediators between the other three factions. Rtas 'Vadum of the Swords of Sanghelios had asked the opposing Republic ambassadors if a permanent fleet was needed above every Republic world to maintain control; what did that say about their Republic?

"Signed Punn Rimbaud, Separatist Congress Leader," She said, handing the Treaty over to the last CIS signatory.

"Signed Voe Atell, Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies," She said, adding her signature.

To many, putting Voe Atell in the place of the former CIS General Grievous had been controversial. Throughout the war, Atell had been highly vocal in her beliefs that the only way the war could end was with the total defeat of the Republic and had been vehemently anti-peace throughout the conflict. With little collusion, both ONI and Mini Bonteri had wanted her as the new leader of the CIS military for a reason: she was arrogant, and both parties agreed that she would be the ideal candidate due to the fact she was the easiest to control.

Last at the table were the three Sangheili delegates. Despite the Sangheili's only direct military action being the arrival of the Fleet of Retribution during the Battle of Coruscant, they had offered their assistance in guarding several UEG worlds so that the UNSC would free up ships to send to the front lines in the Andromeda Galaxy.

"Signed Thel Vadum, Arbiter and Kaidon of the Swords of Sanghelios," He said, signing and passing the Treaty to the white-armoured Sangheli next to him.

"Signed Rtas 'Vadum, Fleetmaster of the Fleet of Retribution," He said before signing and handing over the tablet to the last seated member of the Treaty signing.

"Signed Arkad Nar 'Kulul, Fleetmaster of the Fleet of Recalcitrant Ire," He said as he added his signature.

Though neither he nor his fleet participated in combat against the Separatists, Arkad Nar 'Kulul voluntarily took up almost all of the extra protection duties in the Joint Occupation Zones so that UNSC ships could be moved to the front lines. As a result, he earned a place at the Peace Treaty signing.

Starting with President Charet, every seated signatory stood up.

"The 2565 Treaty of Earth is now signed. As of this moment, the Clone Wars are officially over," President Charet said. Like with a lot of wars in UEG and Republic history, the fighting had stopped weeks before any sort of official document was signed. Up until this moment, it was simply an armistice rather than a Peace Treaty. Across the galaxy, there were still numerous planets and fleets battling it out. Some had fallen out of contact due to such vast distances' or non-communication protocols and weren't aware that the war had actually finished.

Almost immediately, the crowd, both in front of them and around the galaxy, cheered in thunderous applause. While the applause continued, the dignitaries slowly shook hands with one another, some with more acceptance than others. It would take several minutes of continuous clapping from the crowds before it started to die down long enough for Lord Hood to make another announcement in front of the crowds and cameras.

"Now that this Treaty signing is complete, I will be moving on to answering what questions I can. Anything I cannot comment on is either classified or the jurisdiction of the Republic, Confederacy or Sangheili.

Marching back to the placement of the podium, Admiral Hood started his lottery from the countless number of hands pointing upwards in the hope of having their question answered. Though a large number of the crowd had begun to disperse and many people watching the Treaty signing from afar had turned their attention to celebrating, there was still a significant number of people watching what was now a military press briefing.

Starting with a young Human women, Hood pointed to one of the reporters,

"Lana Varek, HoloNet News. What is the intention of the UNSC now that the war has ended?" She asked, ready to make note of anything the Fleet Admiral said.

"Our intention has been and will always be the protection of Earth and her colonies. If you're asking whether or not we intend to withdraw all civilian and military personnel from the Andromeda, the time for that was before the war. We're here to stay now," Hood answered before picking another reporter's hand, this time a UEG reporter.

"Crix Harlow, Intersystem News. Will civilians be permitted to travel to previously restricted parts of Separatist space, such as Raxus?"

"Parts of the Andromeda system are still off limits due to pirate activity and unconfirmed reports of Separatist loyalists. Authorised travel will be left up to the Colonial Administration Authority, Inner Territories Transportation Administration, and the governments for each system," Hood answered.

While the Colonial Military Authority had been all but absorbed into the UNSC, the CAA and several other UEG departmental bodies retained power and served as the administrative body for the colonies of the Unified Earth Government, governing the colonies under the UEG's name. Still much smaller than the CAA, the ITTA travel acted as the authority of the Unified Earth Government in matters of civilian travel between colonies. Initially only operating in the Inner Colonies, the ITTA began expanding with the population boom after the Human-Covenant War.

"Dorian Voss, Coruscant Messenger. Can you comment on the rumours that the UNSC is planning to mount an attack on the Neutral world of Mandalore?" A reporter asked.

"I don't comment on rumours," Hood said sternly. "And Mandalore is currently under illegal occupation by the terrorist splinter faction known as Death Watch. The Dutchess Satine remains under UNSC protection until she is reinstated as Mandalore's leader. When that time comes, I cannot comment," Hood added.

Hood looked out, pointing to another one of the UEG reporters.

"Christopher Bylaw, New Harmony Telegraph. Is the UNSC still searching for the missing Sith acolytes Maul and Asajj Ventress, as well as General Grievous?" He asked.

"The whereabouts of Maul and Ventress are currently unknown. They likely fled to wild space during the attempted Jedi purge. The location of General Grievous is equally unknown. However, all three remain on the most wanted list for the UNSC, ONI, and every intelligence agency within the United Earth Government," Hood said.

Switching to a Separatist reporter, Hood picked out a lady with a CIS patch on her arm.

"Jasra Thul, Raxus Oberver. Will citizens of the Confederacy be permitted to enter UNSC-controlled space and planets?" She asked.

"Civilian travel from any world, Republic, Separatist or neutral, will have to be charted and authorised just like any other. Worlds such as Reach will remain off limits to all those without express permission from a member of the UNSC High Command," Hood said.

Out in the crowd, there were still hundreds of questions on the minds of all those with their hands raised, hoping to get Lord Hood's attention. Several decades in the military and years as the highest-ranking Admiral in the UNSC had perfected Hood's neutral expression when talking to the press and officials. Even when he was asked a ridiculous question or had been in front of cameras for what felt like an eternity, he never let his annoyance or tiredness seep through to his face.

It took several more questions before there was one Hood was expecting.

"Lord Hood, what is the UNSC's position on the previously mentioned inhibitor chips? If what you and the President have told us is true, doesn't that mean that the Chancellor of the Republic has private control over a galactic military?" The journalist asked.

Hood had spent hours with Section Two of ONI working on cover stories about what to tell the public when such a question was answered. They couldn't tell them that a Spartan fireteam had been deployed to an allied world in an offensive operation, nor could they explain any of the details regarding the current functionality of the chips for fear that somebody would attempt to access and control them. On top of Fireteam Royals' secret mission to assassinate Palpatine, countless secrets were piling up on top of each other.

Of course, what neither Hood nor ONI knew was that while the ability to gain control of the chips had been destroyed, there was still one individual who had the authorisation to activate any of the clone contingency orders. Since total destruction of Kamino wasn't a viable option to guarantee no repeats of Order 66, the Kaminoans and the clone's home planet were under the watchful eye of ONI operatives and AIs at almost every moment.

"Direct control over the Grand Army of the Republic no longer lies with the Chancellor or anyone for that matter. Any and all ability for the clone army to be manipulated in such a way had been destroyed. Since the Republic is now at peace, any military action must be authorised by a majority vote in the Republic Senate and only occur after they have notified their other allies, as stated in the Treaty," Hood diligently answered.

While continuing to answer the wall of raised hands, Hood glanced upward to the Earth sky, knowing that over a dozen light years away, there was a different type of ceremony he'd instead be attending.

One Week Later

09:37 Hours, August 1st, 2565 (Military Calander)

Milky Way Galaxy, Epsilon Indi System, Harvest

Geostationary Orbit, UNSC Terminus, Crew Quarters

It had been almost a month since Captain Jack and his team were informed of Captain Iona's death during the battle of Coruscant. Of course, the story that everybody knew was different to what actually happened. From the public point of view, Captain Iona West was killed when she and her team were deployed from the UNSC Aegis Fate to defend the UEG embassy on Coruscant. Jack was frustrated when he was told that the story would become the official record of what happened.

Captain Jack understood that the truth could never be revealed, that a Spartan Fireteam was on the planet before the invasion had even begun to assassinate the Chancellor. That truth wasn't what bothered him; it was the fact that she had sacrificed herself to kill one of the most dangerous men in the galaxy, and she would likely go down in the books as just another casualty of the war. Admiral Lasky had reminded him that he was one of the lucky few who were allowed to know the truth about what happened to her and not just be fed the same story as everyone else.

The Spartan Captain had tried to convince Lasky and ONI to change the story, at least so that she would be the one who killed Sidious after he had activated order 66 but had no luck.

Right now, he sat alone in the small, cramped bunk room of the Valient-Class Heavy Cruiser. Standing in front of the room's mirror, he made some final checks on his uniform. A far different look to his highly advanced new-age Mjlinir armour, Captain Jack stood firm in his crisp white dress uniform, something he hadn't worn in years. From top to bottom, he made sure every part of his uniform was perfect. By now, it was something he couldn't forget after it was ingrained into his head within days of basic training when he first joined the UNSC.

The black dress shows had been polished to the point of almost perfect reflection, and the lining of his white dress trousers ran perfectly straight without a single noticeable crease. The same went for his high-collared, double-breasted white jacket, which had his medals pinned on his left breast. Just like the gold buttons on his jacket, the medals pinned to the Spartan were cleaned and polished to the point they could be used as a signal flare. His rank insignia was displayed on the epaulettes atop his shoulders and golden jacket cuffs. Above it all was his navy headwear peaked cap with a black base, white upper half and gold ring in the centre of the black base. Resting front and centre of the cap was a globe-and-olive-wreath on a silver shield, backed by two crossed gold fouled anchors, surmounted by a silver eagle.

With time until the ceremony started, Captain Jack had done nothing but go over the state of his uniform a dozen times. There was little else for him to do. The rest of his team had been satisfied with their own uniforms, as had he. Jack wasn't checking his own multiple times simply because he thought something was out of order. Moving away from the mirror, Jack took up a new position in front of the window, looking out over the scorched planet they were orbiting. Unlike a lot of former human colonies that were re-terraformed after the Human-Covenant war, Harvest was purposefully left as the cold, barren wasteland it had become due to the covenants glassing.

One new part had been made to his uniform. In addition to his ribbons and medals won during the Human-Covenant war and the conflicts that followed it, he had a third one lined up against two others. In the days following the Battle of Coruscant, hundreds of medals had been awarded to UNSC servicemen who had shown exceptional courage and daring during the battle. More than half were awarded to the pilots that held off countless waves of enemy fighters and bombers.

Of all the medals awarded, only a tiny fraction were the Colonial Cross, like the one now resting against the Spartan Captain's chest. Though a cover story was devised about the acts that earned him the medal, the honour that came with receiving such a distinction was the same to Jack. Alongside himself, his entire team and the three remaining members of Fireteam Royal were also presented with the medal in a publicised ceremony with dozens of other recipients. Iona was posthumously awarded the Colonial Cross during the ceremony. Since, like many young Spartans born during the great war and who lost everyone, Iona had nobody to take the medal in her stead. During the ceremony, it was handed to the new leader of Fireteam Royal, Captain Matt.

From behind him, Jack heard the door open. Expecting it to be one of the crewmen or one of his teammates, the Captain was still unsurprised to see Ahsoka in place of either one. Similar to how he had seen her over the past couple of months, she was wearing her new outfit made of thin beskar and an accompanying white civilian jacket common amongst UEG citizens. She didn't look too different while wearing the mix of Mandalorian and UEG clothing, only this time, she had a small metal addition in the same place as Jack. Since only UNSC service members are eligible for the Colonial Cross, Ahsoka had been awarded the civilian Medal of Gallantry as a private citizen of the UEG, a personnel tribute from President Charet.

"Hanger bay is filling up. It's almost time," Ahsoka said softly.

"Thanks," Jack replied, keeping his eye on the planet below.

Walking up beside him, she joined him in looking out over the formerly lush agriculture world. Before its devastating destruction, the colony world of Harvest was a picturesque view nestled amidst the stars, boasting a wide array of natural beauty. Verdant plains stretched out beneath azure skies, dotted with lush forests teeming with diverse flora and fauna. Rivers meandered through the landscape, nourishing fertile valleys where crops thrived under the gentle caress of the sun. Cities rose like beacons of civilisation, their gleaming spires and space elevators reaching towards the sky.

"So this is where it all started?" Ahsoka asked.

In the aftermath of the devastating glassing, Harvest lay as a lonely, scarred world, its once vibrant landscape reduced to a charred wasteland under a blanket of ash and debris. Where once lush forests danced in the breeze now stood twisted remnants of scorched trees, their skeletal frames silhouetted against an ominous, smoke-filled sky. Rivers ran thick with molten glass, their once-clear waters now corrupted by the searing heat of orbital bombardment.

The once-thriving cities of Harvest now lay in ruins, their towering spires reduced to jagged shards of metal jutting defiantly from the scorched Earth. Streets that once echoed with the sounds of bustling life now lay silent, save for the occasional groan of twisted metal or the distant rumble of collapsing structures. The air was heavy with the acrid scent of smoke and the bitter taste of despair, a grim reminder of the devastation wrought upon this once-proud colony.

"Yeah, over 40 years ago now. One long-range radar contact and three million lives later, Humanity entered the biggest war it has ever faced. We all remember Reach, but most of us would rather forget Harvest," Jack said, looking over what used to be the Hugin Sea.

Jack glanced over to Ahsoka, her face visibly sombre.

"Sorry. I shouldn't be so glum. The war is over, and we stopped a tyrannical monster from ruling over the galaxy," He said.

Ahsoka responded, reaching for his hand and holding it halfway between them. "And you lost one of the people who made you who you are. Trust me, that's not something you can just brush off in a couple of weeks," she said.

"I know. I've lost people before, and I'm sure I will again in the future. At least she went out like a true Spartan," He said, looking down at the Togrutan's hands before returning his gaze to the planet.

While the two of them took in the view of Harvest, Ahsoka stole the occasional glance at the other two medals on the Spartan's uniform. She had seen all manner of medals and ribbons on soldiers and sailors of both the UNSC Navy and the Republic Navy. Nonetheless, the two she hadn't seen before still intrigued her.

"How'd you get those two?" Ahsoka asked.

When he pulled out of his daydream, Jack looked at her, wondering what she was referring to, before he saw her eyes aiming at the two medals sitting beside his Colonial Cross.

The first one was a gold and purple heart-shaped medal with a purple ribbon. Next to it was a five-pointed silver star with a green oak wreath and a smaller gold star within it. Above it was a red and white ribbon.

"It's a purple heart. It's for when I was wounded and captured behind enemy lines. That was also when the Arbiter gifted me my energy sword," Jack said while pointing towards the medal.

"I thought the UNSC had a medal for capture," Ahsoka asked, recalling her limited knowledge of UNSC medals and decorations.

"We do. It's the Prisoner of War Medallion, but no Spartan has ever been awarded it. It's kind of an unspoken rule that Spartans are ineligible for it," Jack replied.

"Really? How come?" Ahsoka asked.

"Most of us are pretty certain it's because ONI and the UNSC didn't want to admit the enemy had captured a Spartan," Jack answered.

At first, Ahsoka thought it to be dishonest and unjust that Jack, who knew how many other Spartans deserving of the medal, had been denied it simply because their superiors were worried about public relations. However, given everything she knew about their war and now looking over the planet that started it all, she could understand how morale might have been the most crucial resource Humanity had during the decades-long conflict.

During the war, the Prisoner of War Medalion was as extremely honoured as it was rare to see. Covenant forces were notorious for not giving quarter to human prisoners, with the exception of the occasional straggler executed for sport or when one was required to activate Forerunner technology. To see a soldier with the medal meant they had been through hell at the hands of the Covenant, escaped, and lived to tell the tale.

"And the other one?" She asked.

Jack smiled as he looked down at the medal sitting in the middle of the three.

"Silver Star. I got that almost ten years ago. It's actually how I met Iona. Operation Far Storm, a joint UNSC/Sanghili operation to shut down Forerunner Installation 00, I was just a marine then, barely two weeks fresh out of training. Anyway, as soon as we exited slipspace and made landfall, there was an ambush by Armiger Constructs. Before I know it, my squad is wiped out, and I'm the only one left, except for one Spartan," Jack said.

"Iona?" Ahsoka asked.

Jack nodded. "We end up back to back. One of the Armiger's throws a grenade right between us. I noticed it first and managed to push her out of the way as hard as I could and kick the grenade far enough away that it didn't kill either of us. The thing about Mjlioner armour is, it's really tough," He said while rubbing his right fist.

"You broke your hand!?" Ahsoka asked.

"And my wrist. I managed to charge one of the Armigers and empty my sidearm into it before it almost stabbed Iona through the back. By that point, she was back up, and we held off the enemy for another hour until reinforcements arrived. After the operation, I guess she nominated me for the medal and recommended the Spartan core keep an eye on me in the future," Jack said.

"You fought them off single-handedly?" She asked with a sly grin.

"Haha, I guess you could say that," Jack replied with a smile.

"Wait, so Iona, what is the reason you became a Spartan?" Ahsoka asked,

"A big part of it, yeah. After the augmentation procedures, I was assigned to Iona's team from then until the Umbara campaign, when Admiral Lasky handed me my own command. I guess she saw something in me from day one," He said.

"She'd be proud, you know," Ahsoka said.

"I hope so. It means she did her job right," Jack said with a hopeful smile.

Their short silence was interrupted by an audible whistle coming from the external speakers around the ship. It was the first whistle of the boatswain's call, the first sign that a shipboard funeral would soon be taking place.

"We should head to the hanger," Ahsoka said.

Before Ahsoka turned to head for the door, Jack found yet another smile creep onto his face as he remembered something. Marching out in front of her, he headed over to the bunk he had been temporarily assigned on the Terminus as it travelled to Harvest. Beneath the bunk was a small storage box used by crewmen to store the few personnel items they were permitted to carry while stationed on a UNSC vessel.

"I don't know if it's a thing in your galaxy, but we have a bit of a Human tradition over here. I guess it might sound silly, but usually once a year, or I guess Earth rotation, we celebrate whatever time of the year we were born," Jack explained as he retrieved a small black felt box.

"You mean a birthday," Ahsoka said, arms crossed with a mischievous grin on her face.

Jack winced at his blunder. "Anyway, I was never really one for big celebrations, and neither was Iona, but there was something of hers I'm sure she wouldn't mind me handing you now,"

"I didn't meet her that many times. Did she leave me something?" Ahsoka asked curiously.

"Not exactly. Spartans don't exactly write wills, and she didn't have any relations left to give whatever she did her own to," Jack clarified.

"Meaning you stole it," Ahsoka stated.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Besides, I think this would look better on you than in some melting pot. Congratulations on the big two zero, Ahsoka," Jack said as he handed her the small box.

With newfound curiosity, Ahsoka opened the lid of the small black box and was surprised by what she saw when she opened it. As a Jedi, she hadn't been gifted many things due to the fact that the owning of material items was not a popular trait of the Jedi. Even then, when being gifted anything from a soldier and a Spartan at that time, Ahsoka thought it must have been some type of weapon.

Instead, as she opened the box, she looked at a silver and chrome metal pin, which she quickly recognised as the emblem for the Spartan Branch. Similar to the eagle of the UNSC logo, the Spartan Branch featured an eagle with wider-spread wings, with the bird's beak facing to the left. Underneath, clutched in its left leg, were three arrows, and in its right was a lightning bolt.

Pulling it out of its case, she set the box aside and held the shining pin in her hands, giving the Spartan one more gleeful look before she pinned it to the jacket on the opposite side of where her medal was.

"How do I look?" She asked, standing straight with the low light of the room having no trouble reflecting off the polished surface of the pin.

Jack took a step back and looked before answering her. "Like a Spartan in the making," He said proudly.

At that moment, the door once again opened, and this time, it was one of the team members Jack expected.

"Sir, it is starting," Fives said as he stood at attention in his own Spartan V dress uniform with his own Colonial Cross.

"Let's get moving then, before the Captain comes back from hell to give us all a reprimand," Captain Jack said as the three of them departed.

Down in the hanger bay, the large room was filled with UNSC personnel, almost all of whom were dressed in their respective dress uniforms. Neat rows of officers and enlisted lined the floor of the bay. Being the last to arrive, Fives, Ahsoka, and Jack took up their positions in the front-left cluster of officers, lining up next to the rest of Fireteam Royal. Past the centre walkway and on the other side, the second cluster of officers was made up at the front of Captain Matt, Lexi, and Kate. After spending a week inside a Republic bacta tank, Rookie's wounds had all but healed, and he was back to top fighting shape. While the amazing healing properties of bacta were not worthy of trade, such as a slipspace drive or MAC cannon, medical scientists from the UNSC, ONI, and civilian organisations were constantly trying to research the substance for mass production.

Right up at the front, beneath the heavy-duty window panes that lined the top half of the walls, were two individuals in white military dress and more ribbons than any other officers in the room. Each one had an impressive display of ribbons and medals. The younger of the two men wore a white Captain's uniform and was at least two decades younger than the man standing beside him.

Only the Spartans and a few of the older soldiers in the room recognised the older of the two gentlemen, though. He wore all the symbols and patches of a Senior Chief Petty Officer, a rank only one level below the highest it was possible to obtain in the UNSC Navy, Master Chief Petty Officer. Since the Human-Covenant war, though, it was more common for someone bearing the rank to be referred to as "Top Chief" by crewmen out of respect for John-117, more commonly known as "The Master Chief". To the unaware, it seemed odd that a Non-Commisioned officer as old as the one in front of them only held the second-highest NCO rank.

If they looked a little closer, though, they would notice that the older officer's uniform was several years behind the current standard dress uniform. The Captain didn't need any reminders or confirmation of who was standing in front of them, but he was greeted with one anyway when the man turned around.

F. MENDEZ

There was complete silence as the three arrivals fell in. It would be almost another minute without a sound before the metallic humming of an elevator could be heard and then quickly seen.

"Company! Right Face!" Shouted Mendez.

Snapping to a perfect ninety-degree turn, the sound of every soldier's dress shoes clicking could be heard throughout the hanger. With both groups facing the central walkway, they could also see the elevator at the back of the room, generally used for carrying cumbersome military equipment like tanks or aircraft. Now, though, it held only eight soldiers and one metal casket. Dressed in unique uniforms were eight UNSC honour guards with customised weapons and white capes with the UNSC eagle on the back.

As the elevator reached the top and stopped, four soldiers holstered their ceremonial weapons and placed the heavy metal casket upon their shoulders. They carried it slowly down the line while the remaining four guards covered each corner. When reaching the end of the walkway, the four carriers gently lowered the round casket in front of a large metal cylinder attached to the wall of the ship itself.

"Company! About Face!" Mendez again shouted.

With the drill commands ingrained into every officer's very being, they all did so in perfect synchronisation. Even Ahsoka was light enough on her feet not to draw extra attention to herself; it was noticeable enough that she was the only non-human attendee of the ceremony. Aside from her, there were only three other natives of the Andromeda attending the funeral. General Skywalker as a represntative of the Jedi, Senator Armidala for the Senate, and Republic Admiral Shoan Kilian for the Republic Navy. The three of them stood in a line 90 degrees opposite that of Mendez and Ajex.

"Duty, Honor, Self-sacrifice—all qualities the soldiers beside us wear into battle. As Spartans, the expectations placed upon Humanities biblical guardians are just that. Few have ever exceeded such expectations. Captain Iona West now joins the hall of those who had the will and courage to do what was required, and in doing so, has set new expectations for those that may follow her," Mendez said.

After Mendez stopped speaking, Captain Ajex looked towards the honour guards holding the ash canister and gave them a cursory nod, which the Master Sergeant gladly responded to. After that, the four men removed the UNSC and Spartan Corps flag and loaded the metal casket into the cylindrical tube before closing it up completely.

"We shall remember our dead. Honours, attention!" Mendez ordered.

Instantly, the combined sound of clicking dress shoes once more echoed throughout the room, paralleled by the sight of the officers standing at attention with crisp salutes.

"We commit the bodies of our fallen, home," Mendez said.

Seconds later, the muffled sound of a vacuum breach could be heard, and the metal casket flying out of the tube and into the vacuum of space could be seen, aimed towards the sun around which Harvest still orbited. Continuing, uninterrupted by the vacuum of space, the ash canister of the fallen Spartan continued past the planet until it became an impossibly small dot to those viewing from the UNSC Terminus.

Inside the hangar, the dismissed officers started to vacate the area with the exception of the Republic attendees as well as Fireteams Resolute and Royal. With some of the opposite numbers striking up a conversation, Captain Jack took it upon himself to approach Matt.

"Captain," Jack greeted.

"Captain," Matt replied.

"I suppose it won't be long before operations assign a couple of new Spartans to Royal," Jack commented.

"I've already got over a dozen applicants with letters of recommendation from Earth to Algolis. If I don't pick two soon, Commander Palmer or even Admiral Ghanem will do it for me," Matt said frustratingly.

"Perks of being a Captain," Jack said sarcastically.

"Damn straight," Mendez said as he approached the two.

"Sir," The two said as they stood to attention.

"At ease, you two know damn well I'm retired," Mendez replied as the two soldiers relaxed. "It's good to see you again, Captain," He added.

"Likewise, Sir," Matt said.

Mendez swivelled his head and looked Jack up and down. "It's been a while. I'll be honest, Spartan. The first few times I saw you, I had no idea what Iona saw in you. As far as I was concerned, you were just another FNG thrown into a Fireteam that was down a soldier. I guess I was wrong; Captain West saw something that I didn't. I'm glad she was your mentor in place of me. Carry on, gentlemen," He said, saluting the two, who quickly responded until he moved away.

"I guess that was a compliment," Jack said.

"When the four of us were training under Mendez, I always thought he hated us. I can't say I blame him, really. The man who trained the Spartan IIs and IIIs ends up with us? Iona always managed to impress him, though," Matt said.

While the two discussed the trainer of the original Spartans, yet another of the funeral attendees approached them. This time, it was General Skywalker, along with his wife, Senator Padme Armidala, who was spending little to no effort in concealing anymore. While General Kenobi was signing the Treaty on Earth, Anakin had been assigned a less public duty by the Jedi order as a delegate to the funeral of Captain West; internally, Skywalker assumed it was just a way to get him out of their sight for a while until they could figure out what to do with him.

With help from his old master, Ahsoka, and several other Jedi who backed him up, Anakin was not immediately expelled from the Jedi Order. So much had happened under their own noses as well as Skywalkers, and in the end, the main crime the Jedi committed was not coming forward with his suspicions. However, due to fears for his wife, Anakins reasoning was understood. Changes to the Jedi code would have to be considered, and while he was 'sent away,' the decision on how to handle Skywalker would be complete. Obi-Wan had reassured his friend that the worst the council could do would be some kind of peaceful assignment or something else he was likely to hate.

All the secrets had finally been let out. His meetings with the Chancellor, visions of the future, and, of course, his secret wife of 3 years. Despite the end of the war, Senator Armidala's work was just as much as ever. However, she had managed to find the time and ability to convince those in charge to allow her to attend the funeral as a representative. Padme had never met Captain West, but after everything she had been told, primarily by her husband, she felt it only right to attend the service for the fallen Spartan.

"Captain, I'm thankful that we were permitted to attend the service for Captain West," Padme said. "I wish I could have met her. From what I've heard, she was a remarkable soldier and leader," She said while glancing at Anakin.

"The best there ever was. I'm glad both of you managed to find the time to attend. I can only imagine how busy the Senate will be now that the war is over," Captain Jack replied.

"The war against the Separatists may be over, but the one in the Senate never ends," Padme said.

"I'm proud to have fought alongside her. She knew right from wrong better than even some Jedi, and in the end, I wish I could have done something," Anakin said with a look of regret in his eye. He quickly found the loving embrace of his wife's hand on his.

"We all make it sooner or later, General. If I knew her half as good as I think, she knew that going in there. She was prepared to die if it meant saving everyone else," Captain Matt said.

There was a short silence.

"What happens now?" Padme asked.

"Well, the war may be over, but there's always a battle to be fought. Pirates, terrorists, warlords. I'll bet a bottle of titan smoke we have a new mission assignment within the next two hours," Captain Jack said.

"I'll take that bet," Rookie said in the background.

"Really? After everything you and your team have done, the UNSC can't spare a little leave time?" Padme asked.

Captain Jack shook his head with a smile. "The last four weeks have been long enough for us. Besides, you don't get to be the youngest Spartan Captain in UNSC history without some damn high expectations. Rest and relaxation don't really fall into those expectations," He said as he saw Ahsoka looking at him from across the room while she was talking to Captain Williams and Admiral Ghanem. "Though, maybe I could give it a try," He added as he subtly looked at her.

"I think Captain West would agree; you certainly met those expectations," Anakin said.

"Damn right she would," Matt agreed.

"One can only hope," Jack said.

As the conversation came to a natural pause, Anakin glanced around the hangar bay, his eyes taking in the solemn atmosphere and the sombre faces of those gathered to pay their respects. Unlike the Fireteam, the pair only had a limited amount of time before they would have to return back to the Republic.

"I truly wish we could stay longer, but I'm afraid we have to head back to our ship," Padme said.

"Of course, I hope we meet again, Senator," Captain Jack said.

With a final nod of acknowledgement, Padme and Anakin turned to leave, their footsteps echoing softly against the metal floor of the hangar bay.

Walking down themselves, Captains Matt and Jack enjoyed the silence. Everything that needed to be said had already been done. The two of them had no doubt that they would soon be toasting and drinking in Iona's name if there weren't already hundreds of Spartans doing so. Just because they didn't know the actual reason why she died doesn't mean they wouldn't drink to her memory.

"You got any word on deployment?" Jack asked.

Captain Matt shook his head, "Not a word, you?"

"Nothing. Feel like I'm being weighed down with an anchor. I wouldn't have missed this for the world, but this uniform is heavier than my actual armour," Captain Jack stressed.

From behind the two came both Ahsoka and Captain Williams. The two soldiers instantly saluted the UNSC Captain.

"At ease, Spartans. Captain Matt, if you wouldn't mind giving us some space," Ajex requested.

"Yes, sir," he said before leaving, giving Jack a cursory nod.

"Is it time, sir?" Captain Jack asked, not failing to notice the tablet in Captain Williams' hands.

"Of sorts, yes. HIGHCOM has been in contact, and we both know that the threats don't end just because the war has. I'm presenting you with this on behalf of Admiral Hood and Admiral Osman," Captain Williams said, handing the device over to the Captain.

Jack's ears were already perked at the mention of Hood's name, but his concern spiked at the mention of Osman. Given the secrets he'd hidden from ONI, he had concerns that they knew something about him. Looking down at the device, he used his fingerprint and retina to authorise its use. Once it was authenticated and unlocked, Captain Jack was met with something he had expected, but with a twist.

They were deployment orders. The location was blacked out, as were numerous other details.

Typical ONI, Jack thought.

The interesting part was the section just below the operation's name. Of course, the names of all those involved, including him and his team, were all there, with their new promotions in some cases. What made Jack's eyes go wide, though, was the name at the bottom.

OPERATION: LAND GRAB II

CLASSIFIED MATERIAL, AUTHORISED PERSONNEL VIEWING ONLY!

PERSONNEL LIST:

[CPT - A127 JACK' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[1LT - CT5555 - 'FIVES' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[1LT - A226 - 'JUN' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[1LT - M117 - 'CADMON' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[2LT - CT5597 - 'JESSE' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[2LT - CT6116 - 'KIX' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[2LT - C1220 - 'ROOKIE' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE]

[CIV - BLANK - 'AHSOKA' - FIRETEAM RESOLUTE (PENDING)]

Captain Jack recognised the operation name. It was an updated version of Operation Land Grab, the codename for the opening stages of the Requiem campaign. Fireteam Royal was supposed to be assigned the mission; they were even briefed on it. The mission was simple enough: drop in behind enemy lines and destroy several Covenant power cores to help establish a UNSC foothold on the planet for later operations. However, at the last second, the mission was reassigned to Fireteams Crimson and Majestic.

For a long time now, the work done by Fireteam Resolute had been off the books. Countless missions had been completed without any knowledge other than a couple of Admirals in HIGHCOM. It was for those reasons only that Jack assumed Ahsoka was able to be included in those missions. Since they were given almost completely free reign, no NCO was waiting to scream in his face for doing something so conventional and probably illegal.

Now that the war was over and there were no more significant threats, Captain Jack presumed he and his team would be reassigned to regular fieldwork. However, to see Ahsoka's name on the personnel manifest for an upcoming mission, one that had a lot of classified data on it, meant that his thoughts of routine work would have to wait a little while longer. Whereas the rest of his teams' designations and numbers matched them and their rank, the one for Ahsoka was matched to that of a civilian.

"I don't understand. You're coming with us?" Captain Jack asked.

"HIGHCOM has recognised how reliable of an asset Miss Tano has become to Fireteam Resolute. It is in their best interests to maintain that efficiency. They have offered her the chance to continue on with your team," Captain Williams said.

Captain Jack looked back to the tablet. "This has you listed as a civilian, though," he pointed out.

"Vice Admiral Lasky actually offered me a commission," Ahsoka said.

"You turned it down?" Jack asked.

"I want to keep up the fight, Jack. But, after everything that happened during the war and the temple, I don't think being an officer is right for me," Ahsoka said.

"If you'll have her, I can sign off on the transfer. She'll be a part of your team as if she were any other civilian employed by the UNSC. Just a little bit more…active," Ajex said.

"You really want back in?" Jack asked, looking Ahsoka in the eyes.

"It's like you said, there's always a pirate to take down, a slave to free. I can't think of anyone else. I'd rather fight alongside,"

"Well then. Ahsoka Tano, welcome to Fireteam Resolute," Captain Jack said with a gleeful smile.

"Glad to be here, Captain," Ahsoka happily replied.

Looking at his team, who were loosely lined across the walkway, Captain Jack switched his gaze from them to Ahsoka.

"Shall we?" Jack asked.

"Lead the way," Ahsoka replied.

Marching over to his scattered team, Captain Jack stood straight and cleared his voice.

"Fireteam Resolute! Fall in!" Captain Jack shouted.

In a split second, the six members of the team had straightened up on the line, standing at attention.

"I hope you enjoyed the vacation, boys because it's time to get back to work. If you thought you proved yourselves to be Spartans simply because you saved the galaxy, think again!" Captain Jack said.

Each member of Fireteam Resolute held back a satisfied grin.

"Do you want to make Captain West proud?" Jack asked loudly

"Sir, yes, sir!" They all replied.

"Then fall out and armour up!" Captain Jack ordered.

On the double, Fireteam Resolute broke their stiff stance and began their rapid march out of the room. Watching his team leave the room, Captain Jack, too, broke his authoritative stance and began to head for the elevator that would take them to the hangar bays, where their newly recovered Condor was waiting for them.

Turning around, he took one final look outside the window at the planet and Iona's final resting place.

"Mantle guide you, Captain West," Jack said, giving Ahsoka a short, over-the-shoulder look. "And may the force be with you,"

---

I can't believe it. We're finally here. The story is finished. It has been a pleasure to write this story for the most part, and it has been wonderful to read all the thoughts and comments people have left after each chapter for the last four years. This hasn't been the first thing I posted on fanfic, but it has definitely been the one I've put the most effort and work into, and I don't just mean the word count.

Lord only knows how many hours I put into the research for each episode, for things as small as double-checking a character's rank or number all the way up to researching the science and lore behind a lot of actions in both universes. Good thing I'm going to keep on writing; I don't think I could justify the amount of monitor real estate I have otherwise. After all, you have to keep the dozen-plus tabs of Halopedia/Wookiepedia open somewhere during the writing.

For those of you who read my other crossover (A New Path), I am still working on it, but I might take a bit of a break now. Since I am now finished with the biggest project I have done here, there is another one I want to start. The following story I want to post is definitely a new one, but one I am equally passionate about. I won't say anything here, but maybe you've seen an old film called The Final Countdown. Think that, but throw in an extra, newer carrier flying the Navy White Ensign.

In regards to Order 66. I got a fair few reviews and messages asking me not to kill off certain Jedi. My plan before this chapter was to have a memorial wall at some point, and there would be a list of maybe 25 individual Jedi who did fall. However, in the end, I just couldn't pick out any. I knew the list would have to include well-known Jedi as well as some of the less-known ones. Every time I've tried, I either went too heavy on one side or not heavy enough. I'm just going to leave the amount of Jedi who were killed to your imagination. Just remember that the order was active for only a couple of minutes so that It wouldn't be anywhere near as detrimental as Canon order 66. If there is a Jedi you really wanted to live, they did.

Right now, I'm working on grammar updates for all the other chapters, around 1 to 20. So far, it's proving to be a massive challenge. I've probably fived around 5,000 errors so far! I have no idea how I could have been so illiterate back then. I'm probably going to post this before all the grammar updates are complete. As of now, I've finished up to chapter 10, which I'll begin working on soon. Trying to get at least one or two done a day and have it all complete by the end of next week.

Surprisingly, I didn't get many comments about Ahsoka in the last few chapters. I kind of regret the way I handled them, in the sense that I never made them together and official, but they are also extremely close. I guess I was just a coward in the end. I purposefully aged Ahsoka up a bit and Captain Jack down, just so if anything did happen, it wouldn't seem way too weird.

Even though I am still continuing to edit the first twenty or so chapters, I'll likely mark the story from ongoing to finished once this chapter is posted. However, that doesn't mean I won't make any edits if something major is pointed out to me. From now on, though, there will be no more chapter replies. So, if there is an unanswered question you desperately want to know, feel free to send me a private message, and I'll respond to it when I can. As usual, I'm sure there is probably something massive or important I forgot to address in the chapter. This time, though, I'm really hoping my fears aren't true since this is the final chapter, and I don't want to have to come back and edit it for story purposes. It's not like the other chapters which I am currently editing to fix the literal thousands of grammar errors.

Anyway, I suppose I have nothing further to say. To those who have been here since the beginning all those years ago, I thank you for sticking with the story. To those who have just started or just finished, I suppose I hope you enjoyed reading it.