Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, shows, books, comics or games. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not for sale, or rent. The Mobile Armors, and later Mobile Suits mentioned in the story are inspired by the various Gundam shows. They obviously belong to their respective creators, and, or copyright owners.

Chapter 6

=FG=

Part 5

=FG=

Bridge

ISD Chimera

Coruscant system

contested New Republic space

"Captain, we have a good connection with Imperial Center's sensor network. Approximately fifty percent of the satellites are operational and recognize our codes. We're updating tactical with fresh data."

Three decent-sized fleet formations flickered into existence. Two of them merely updated their precise location and composition due to lightspeed delay. The Federated Fleet was still too far away for the light of their emergence to have reached Pellaeon's position. The result was a new fleet blinking into existence at the far edge of the holo tank.

"We're seeing the whole Rebel First Fleet deployed in the system, heavily reinforced. We're detecting ships slotted by intelligence belonging to their Second and Third Fleets…"

The tactical computer kept adding additional symbols to the large New Republic force in the system.

"We're reading at least thirty-seven major capital ships, including at least seven battleships. Over twenty-one Dreadnought Cruisers, and multiple light carriers. Hundred plus escorts of all types, and unknown numbers of Marauder cruisers, likely missile variants."

This wasn't a force Pellaeon could take in a straight fight. The same was likely true for what the Federated Empire had deployed in the system. However, if they had to fight it together, or merely divided the Republic's attention, then all bets were off.

"Comms, hail everyone, general broadcast, and transmit the following message: Federated Empire task force, this is Captain Gilad Pellaeon. My forces are not here to fight, either yourselves or the New Republic. We're here to negotiate with senior representatives of the Federated Empire."

Less than a minute later, two messages got back to the Chimera. One was from the self-proclaimed republic.

"Imperial fleet, you're to either cut off your engines, shut down your weapons and shields or surrender, or leave Republic space immediately. We will consider anything less, as a hostile act, and proceed accordingly." There was no mistaking the image, or voice accompanying that transmission. More importantly, Ackbar didn't sound particularly happy with the ultimatum he just issued. The question was, did Ackbar want to avoid a confrontation? Or was it because the ultimatum gave Pellaeon an out that didn't include firing a single shot, and Ackbar didn't like it?

The message from the Federated Empire was much more interesting and important.

"This is Fleet Admiral Wullf Yularen, the military commander of this relief fleet." A familiar voice, and face, if much younger-looking, stared at Gilad from the holo-tank. "Captain Pellaeon, confirm your intentions. Please, state for the record what you hope to accomplish here today."

It was painfully obvious that this Yularen hasn't spent close to two decades working for the ISB. The man appeared to be much less tense, not to mention open and easier to read. The way he said Captain, for example, plainly showed his surprise at Gilad's rank.

"Captain, a small Republic task force is moving our way. We're seeing units detaching from the Republic's First Fleet to reinforce it."

"Launch starfighters, and keep them as a defensive screen. Alter our vector to an intercept one with the Federated Empire forces, offset one light second from Imperial Center." Pellaeon ordered. "Inform the Republic forces that we're here to talk with the Federated Empire and we will do it with, or without their interference. Now send another message to Admiral Yularen."

"Admiral Yularen, we're here to discuss the nature of your New Order. We want to find out, if it will be in our best interest to request joining the Federated Empire," Pellaeon spoke bluntly. The time for subterfuge ended the moment he and his compatriot left their positions and headed for Imperial Center.

"Captain Pellaeon, this is Senator Padme Skywalker, the Diplomatic Leader of this mission. What do you want to know about the New Order the Federated Empire represents? Please elaborate, what do you mean by joining us?"

"What does your New Order you represent? How do you intend to maintain it? As for our intent? My compatriots and I, believe in the New Order the Galactic Empire was supposed to represent and uphold, a duty it failed. We're looking for an option in line with our beliefs."

"Sir, we just received another demand from the Republic to cease, desist and surrender, or leave."

"Ignore the Republic demands and maintain the current heading." Pellaeon, ordered, while eagerly awaiting the Senator's response.

"Captain Pellaeon, at its core, the New Order represents the desire to fix the two greatest betrayals and failings of the Republic. Its two founding principles were mutual defense, and facilitating economic prosperity. In both our pasts, the Republic failed in these responsibilities. When the Senate voted to disband the Republic military, it abandoned large tracks of the Rim to the predations of criminals, slavers, and warlords. It forced the corporations operating there to arm themselves and in practice build their militaries. Later, through a succession of tax reforms, the Republic Senate undermined the economy, an act that directly led to the blockade, and later invasion of my homeworld, Naboo.

"Combined, those two acts of betrayal directly led to the Secessionist movement, the creation of the Confederacy, and the Clone Wars.

"The New Order is the radical opposite of such policies. Its primary goals are to achieve a stable and secure galaxy for our citizens. To bring forth an environment where our economy could flourish. To do so, we are using all tools at our disposal to neutralize all clear and present threats to the Empire's existence. We will remove all obstacles to the economic recovery of our members, and thus, the prosperity of our citizens.

"In practical terms, this requires bringing back into the fold all worlds that seceded during the fracturing and fall of the Republic. It also requires that we neutralize all threats that were allowed to fester after a century of lawless on the Rim."

"If that is indeed the case than I believe we have much to discuss, Senator Skywalker. Your New Orders sounds like something me and my colleagues can happily live with."

=FG=

Bridge
Home One
Coruscant System

If at all possible, Senator Skywalker's proclamation increased the chaos among the New Republic councilors. Both Leia and Chancellor Mothma, looked at the image of Padme as if seeing her for the first time. There was no mistaking the utter disappointment and fury surrounding both women.

Her declaration of what the Federated Empire's New Order meant, had many of the councilors up in arms. To them, it was clear now, that the Federated Empire was no different from the worst of the old Republic, and Palpatine's Empire. It meant the cold-blooded exploitation of the Rim and crushing any dissent, no matter what the people wanted.

"You heard that woman!" Fey'lya barked. "She said it for the whole galaxy to hear! Their Palpatine might be gone, however, those who serve their Empire are made of the same cloth! She didn't even try to present their naked ambition in a better way, but stated it bluntly! There can be no misunderstandings here!"

"This changes nothing! Our military position didn't magically change!" Ackbar argued back.

Luke fought to shove his disappointment to the side while trying to find a way to calm down everyone. The Jedi could feel things running out of control, and this was the worst place and time for something like this!

=FG=

First New Republic Fleet:

Home One MC80A Cruiser, 5 MC80 Liberty cruisers, 6 Bulwark Battleships, 6 ISDs, 4 ISD II, 15 Dreadnought Cruisers, 4 Modified Nebulon-B frigates – carrier variant(each can carry up to five starfighter squadrons), 10 Quasar Bulk Freighters, escort carrier variant (up to 48 starfighters/shuttles on board), 33 Corellian Gunships, 24 CR90s, 10 Alderanni War Frigates; 22 Maradeur Cruisers, 12 Nebulon-B Frigate escorts, 10 Nebulon-B medical Frigates;

Reinforcements from Second and Third New Republic Fleets:

5 ISDs, 5 ISD II, 6 Dreadnought Cruisers, 4 Quasar Bulk Freighters escort carrier variant (up to 48 starfighters/shuttles on board), 3 Munificent Frigates, 1 Lucrehulk combat frieghter, 12 Marauder Cruisers, 10 Nebulon-B Frigate escorts, 20 CR90s;

Solo Fleet:

TF 1: Mon Remonda – MC80B Cruiser, Mon Karren MC80 Cruiser, Tedevium – Nebulon-B Frigate, Etherhawk – Marauder Cruiser;

TF 2: Mon Delindo – MC80 Cruiser, Skyhook Imperial II SD, Battle Dog – Quasar II Bulk Cruiser, modified, under Captain Geng Salaban, Warder – Nebulon-B Medical Frigate;

TF 3: Allegiance – ISD, Ession Strike – Corellian Corvette;

=FG=

Part 6

=FG=

Bridge
Home One
Coruscant System

Oppressive darkness descended upon Luke. It was chilling and ravenous. The Dark Side hungered for bloodshed and more misery. All other noises vanished, as he focused on the leaders of the New Republic. It was as if he could see them clearly for the first time.

Ackbar was like an ancient weathered stone pillar, that stood alone in a sea of clashing emotions. Anger, hatred, and fear swirled around the bridge, drowning every sliver of reason.

The Last Jedi pushed through, searching for the light of the Force, and for a way forward. Yet, all he could see was all-engulfing darkness. A chill ran up his spine, and Luke saw.

People screamed, as weapons discharged. Fleets clashed and died, while worlds burned in their wake.

Luke struggled to get away from the vision. He saw Mon Calamari cruisers dueling with an armada of Star Destroyers above a lush blue and green world, that soon caught up on fire and burned. Then Luke was back on the bridge, still stuck in the chaos.

The Jedi gathered his courage, took a deep breath, and shouted.

"ENOUGH!" Luke could feel the Force tremble with his intent. He got the vague impression that he now had the attention of something dark and curious. Luke quickly shook off that odd, unsettling sensation and focused fully on the people who stared at him, many of them in shock. "Why should we fight here and now? What would it gain us? What would it gain the Republic?" Luke demanded.

Fey'lya's muzzle twisted into a sneer.

"Ignorant boy! Didn't your sister explain the reality of our situation to you?" The Bothan glared at him. "Our support hinges on three pillars we must uphold, no matter what! First, we are not the Empire! We spit on its never sufficiently damned New Order! We can't be seen making deals or working with Imperial factions! Doing so would undermine our support!"

Luke opened his mouth to protest, while Fey'lya ignored him and forged onward. From what he heard, while the Federated Empire's New Order wasn't ideal, it certainly wasn't something to oppose at all costs! As for the Galactic Empire one… Luke honestly knew little beyond both sides' propaganda.

"Second, we unite everyone who the Empire hurt – from smugglers and pirates to the surviving Alderaan! You can say that we, as the Rebel Alliance, and now as the New Republic, we're united in hatred of the Empire. We are all sworn to see the Imperials pay for their crimes. This includes Pellaeon! He was a senior officer in Vader's Death Squadron. We don't negotiate with people ready to employ the likes of him! We won't see them dead, alongside those criminals! Even better, we want to see them in front of a tribunal! That way the whole galaxy can see them pay for their crimes and have its fill of vengeance!" Fey'lya spat.

"I'm a Jedi, councilor. Vengeance is not our way. We uphold justice." Luke said quietly, yet everyone on the still silent bridge heard him. "I didn't face Vader and the Emperor to avenge anyone. It was the right thing to do."

"The people who put us in power, the people who we all represent, want the Empire to pay! They will have nothing less than that, Jedi! It was your kind's failure that got us in this mess in the first place!" Borsk kept ranting. "Do you think everyone forgot that your Order's idiotic attempt to coup Palpatine handed him the galaxy on a silver platter?"

"That's uncalled for, Councilor Fey'lya!" Mothma finally snapped out of her trance. "The Jedi coup was the last ditch attempt to prevent Palpatine from seizing ultimate power. Even without it, he was about to consolidate enough influence and raw power to bring his Empire forth!"

"Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm wrong! Tell me, that we can get away with making deals with the Empire! Our credibility lies in bringing back the old ways! A power-sharing agreement everyone could live with! We all know that is not something any Imperial faction can accept! And it is not something you can accept, can you, Chancellor? Doing so would tell every non-human in the galaxy that perhaps you are all right with the humancentrism of the New Order. After all, you served in the Imperial Senate for close to two decades!"

"You know very well this is not true, Fey'lya!"

"Appearances often matter more than the truth. Rumors and accusations can be as deadly as the truth, we all know that, don't we?" Fey'lya gave them all a fanged smile. "We can't ever appear to be working with the Imperials! Doing so is poison for everything we're supposed to stand for!"

"While my people had many friends in the Senate, no one stepped forth openly, when the Empire came and enslaved us!" Kerrithrarr roared. "It was individuals, who put everything on the line to save a few of our people over the years. For too many humans, it didn't matter what happened to us, Mon Mothma. It didn't matter what the Empire did to countless other aliens. I do not agree with everything Fey'lya barks about!" The Wookie glared at the Bothan. "However, in this, I have to back him. We all need to make a stand! We all need to show, and keep showing the whole galaxy, that we are different, better! If we have to pay a price in blood to keep it so, then we should!"

"We're at a crossroad." Tevv's translated voice came next. "We either stand for our principles, which means standing against everything the Empire represents, or we throw them away for expediency! At a time and place the whole galaxy watches, no less!"

"Are you ready to risk the New Republic, and countless lives over bad blood?" Luke demanded.

"As your sister, boy." Fey'lya pointed a clawed finger at Leia.

Luke looked at her and grimaced. He could almost physically see her anger and hatred, mixed with no small amount of fear and sense of betrayal.

"The Empire needs to pay for what it did to Alderaan. To every one of us and our people!" An ugly grimace flashed over Leia's face before she got her expression under a semblance of control. "There will be no justice until the last Imperial is either dead or dragged in front of a tribunal. Anyone with a shred of conscience defected to our side after Alderaan, or died trying." She pointed at the tactical screen. "As we speak, one of Vader's butchers is about to join forces with this Federated Empire. That tells us everything we need to know about what they represent, or their intentions. Why can't you see that, Luke?"

"All I see is a bloodbath coming if we don't stop and prevent it right here, and now!" Luke implored them to listen. "The Admiral is right! It won't matter if we win or lose a battle here! Such an engagement will have consequences that can destroy the Republic you've been building! Are you seriously going to risk everything out of spite? What's wrong with you?!"

"Chancellor, give the order! We can still defeat them in detail!" Borsk waved at the tactical plot. "Throw everything at Pellaeon, cripple his Star Destroyers, and then focus on the Federated Empire! If we let them sink their hooks in Coruscant, we'll never be rid of them! We have to make a stand, here and now!"

"We need to prove the Federated Empire isn't a viable option. If more Imperials flood to their flag, we might find ourselves in an impossible situation." Beruss pointed out.

"Chancellor, fighting here and now is going to be disastrous!" Ackbar finally stated. "I can not in good conscience accept such an order if you give it. Please don't force me to hand in my resignation."

"When will we be in a better position to fight them? When they have Pellaeon and more Imperials under their flag? When do the people on Coruscant see them as their saviors? When they become a beacon for the Empire's cursed New Order, calling people from all over the galaxy to flock to them?"

"Perhaps we don't have to fight them at all. They're here now, and willing to talk!" Luke pointed out.

He looked from councilor to councilor, trying to comprehend their positions. Was this why the Jedi of old turned their backs on politics? Because what he was saw and felt, in the people who were supposed to be among the best in the galaxy, was more than enough to poison the heart of any Jedi. The compromises, the anger, and the need for vengeance… Luke shivered as he felt the Dark Side around him.

"Admiral Ackbar, Pellaeon's fleet has no business being in this system. Do your utmost to remove it. Send an ultimatum to the Federated Empire ships. They're to cease their approach to Coruscant, and either surrender or leave the system. This is New Republic space. We've been more than tolerant of Imperial incursions! No more!"

"Chancellor, this is a mistake! One that would get many of the people I'm responsible for get killed!" Ackbar snapped and looked angrily at the assembled councilors.

"If you believe you can't follow lawful orders, you're free to step down without repercussions, Admiral. We're not the Empire. We won't harm you for refusing to follow orders." Mothma said, sounding infinitely tired.

Luke shook with tension. This was it! This had to be what Yoda warned him about. If he did nothing, the galaxy might very well burn. And he might lose his sister to her dark emotions.

"No." Luke proclaimed quietly, but firmly. "Chancellor Mothma, you will not kill tens of thousands today." His voice grew in power, and the Force sang with his words.

"I will…" The Chancellor shook her head.

Ackbar looked at Luke in understanding and slowly nodded.

"We will negotiate." Luke continued. "If there is a battle here, today, we won't start it."

"We will talk." Mothma slowly uttered.

"What treachery is this? Skywalker, are you mad?!" Fey'lya roared. "Do you want to prove the Emperor of all people right, by pulling such a stunt?!"

"I will do my duty as a Jedi, no matter the cost." Luke calmly stated. "I will not allow you to start a war that will help no one but the Imperial Warlords!"

"This is treason! You're clouding the mind of the Chancellor!" Fey'lya hissed

through bared teeth before his hologram vanished.

"There is no honor in this! The Jedi were supposed to be better!" Kerrithrarr roared in disappointment, and his image vanished as well.

"Knight Skywalker, think carefully about what you're doing." Beruss carefully said.

"I've been thinking about that ever since you started bickering, councilor. You're all right. We're supposed to be better than the Empire. We are supposed to stand up to our ideals! I didn't sign up for vengeance, or to see the galaxy burn, until the last Imperial is gone! I'm a Jedi Knight, councilor Beruss. We stand up for justice, for what's right. Yet, today, I find nothing of the sort among the people supposed to rebuild the Republic!" Luke bit off and paused, feeling his emotions run hot. The last thing anyone needed was for him to get swept in his anger and frustration!

"Luke…" Leia shook her head and took a step back, away from him. "It's about him, isn't it? It's about them. You don't want to fight them, that's it, isn't it?"

"I'll be lying if I said they had nothing to do with it. However, how I feel about the parents I never got to know, matters little! Leia, let go of your anger and hatred, they blind you! That fleet brings Bacta and other vital supplies for Coruscant! It can save countless people! What does politics matter compared to so many lives?!"

"Sadly, young Jedi, politics means everything." The Sullustan interrupted Luke. "Do you think everyone supports us of the goodness of their heart? They do it for power, out of desperation, or out of burning hatred against the Empire. The Federated Empire put us in a position where we are out of good options. What we had to decide was what the people we represent would want most. And for too many of them, that's Imperial blood until the last supporter of Emperor's order is gone."

"I see…" Luke trailed off and smiled bitterly. "And I don't care. I'm a Jedi. No matter the cost I will keep doing what I deem right. I am doing everything in my power to prevent this madness from escalating. We will not start a fight while I still draw breath. We will talk, Chancellor Mothma, and damn the consequences!"

"I agree with General Skywalker." Ackbar's voice sounded like an angry sea. "Engaging the Imperials now would be madness, and I will have no part of it!"

"We will talk…" Mothma muttered and swayed on her feet, her exhaustion visible.

"I hope you're ready to face the consequences, Skywalker," Beruss said and her hologram flickered out.

"My colleague is right. I must be another voice reporting to the rest of the New Republic that Jedi Skywalker subverted the will of Chancellor Mothma." Sian Tevv noted. "For what's worth, I see where you're coming from, Jedi. It wasn't that long ago, that I made a choice that might yet damn me and my homeworld, believing it was the best path forward. I just can't agree with you. Fey'lya is sadly right. Today we saw the Federated Empire's true colors. If they take people like Pellaeon, then they're our enemies."

The Sullustan's image flickered off.

Meanwhile, Leia had gone to Mothma and helped the Chancellor make her way to the nearest free seat.

"Skywalker, first, thank you for intervening. My only other recourse to offering my resignation would be a coup, and doing so might have been more disastrous for the Republic than a catastrophic battle." Ackbar smiled sadly. "While I admire your resolve, and I'm glad your heart is in the right place…" The Admiral looked at the Chancellor. "I'm afraid you should make yourself scarce as soon as we fully disarm the situation with the Federated Empire."

"That might be for the best…" Luke admitted. Yet, with him away, who was going to help Leia?

=FG=

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