Rising up from a Nobleman to Intergalactic Warlord!!-Chapter 239
---3rd Person POV, Coruscant, Senate Chamber---
As the morning meeting concluded, Senator Organa inquired if there was anything else to address. Given that it was almost lunchtime, he and several colleagues began preparing to leave, assuming no one would speak up. However, to many senators’ dismay, Senator Aang of Roona loudly cleared his throat.
"There is a small matter I would like to bring to everyone’s attention.", Aang stated, trying to be brief. "Earlier today, an Algrandian delegate paid the Military Oversight Committee a visit. Their prime minister is interested in collaborating on a military project with us. A super soldier program, to be exact..."
Setting their tablets down, dozens of his peers looked at him with annoyance. While most were just hungry, his fellow committee members felt betrayed. They had agreed to table the topic until a thorough review was done. Despite this, they silently decided to confront him later, letting him speak for now without interruption.
"A... A super soldier program?", Satina repeated. "According to your earlier testimony, our existing clone army is in immaculate condition. Our precious resources should be used on the people of the Republic, not another military project."
"Do not shoot the messenger. I am fully aware the Republic is not in good shape right now. We are recovering from two major conflicts, and relocating trillions of refugees.", Aang said, aware they were in a precarious position. "That said, the delegate presented several strong reasons to jointly work on this project. Chief among them is the looming threat Lord Stark has spoken of several times already."
Most senators were vehemently against greenlighting another military project. The previous one had almost been used to subvert control of the government. If not for Victor’s warning, the Galactic Republic would have fallen under Palpatine’s control. Nevertheless, amidst their apprehension, the delegate’s reasoning was not without merit.
Months earlier, they had come face-to-face with the enemy personally. A Marauder had fought several Jedi Masters and Palpatine to a draw with minimal effort. During that scuffle, it also tore down a building designed to withstand orbital bombardments with a single strike. It meant the enemy could have killed them easily but chose to toy with them instead.
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Senator Aang. Please send us all the relevant information regarding the proposed project.", Senator Organa requested. "We will speak more on this a week from tomorrow. Does anyone else have something they would like to discuss?"
"I will send it over now. Thank you everyone for your consideration.", Aang spoke, sending them the data. "Apologies for holding everyone up."
With the meeting officially over, senators and their aides promptly left for lunch. Walking out of the building, Padme and Satine warmly greeted their partners, who were waiting for them. Noticing that Padme and Satine were visibly distressed, the men asked if everything was alright.
"It is complicated.", Satine answered, walking toward the pickup zone. "Apparently the Algrandians want to jointly work on a military project with us. From the sounds of it, they are seeking to create super soldiers like the Imperium’s Space Marines."
Coming to a halt, the two men exchanged concerned glances. Rumors of changes along the Algrandian border had reached their ears yesterday, leading them to think the two topics were connected.
"Spill it. You know something, don’t you?", Padme spoke, turning to look Anakin in the eyes.
"Well... It may not be connected, but the Algrandian government has abruptly changed its screening process. Reportedly, orphans and single young men are being allowed in by the tens of thousands.", Anakin answered. "Given what you just told us, there may be some correlation."
Unsettled by this news, Padme placed a hand on her faintly rounded belly. Fearing for the well-being of the orphaned children, she quickly pulled out her tablet to review the data. Helping guide his wife to the pickup zone, Anakin hailed a taxi while Padme frantically read through the nitty-gritty details. Looking away only to step aboard the taxi, Satine inquired if she had found anything yet.
"No, I can barely understand what is written here. Either a madman or a savant wrote this because it is all over the place.", Padme said, flicking back to the cover page. "They call it the SPARTAN-II program, and it is headed up by a Dr. Catherine Halsey."
"Looks more like an intern did a poor job of copying down what their superior was dictating to them.", Anakin remarked, having seen similar gibberish in the Jedi Archives. "We should send it over to Dr. McKay and his team. They have worked extensively with Algrandian scientists; maybe they can make sense of it."
Agreeing with Anakin’s suggestion, Padme forwarded the information to Dr. McKay for review. Sending him a message requesting that he review the data within the next few days, she put her tablet away and snuggled close to Anakin. Wrapping his arm around her, Anakin did what he could to soothe his wife’s nerves.
---Victor POV, Production World 146, Two Hours Later---
Stepping out of the Bifrost, the Spiritus Libertatis greeted us with its impressive armaments and matte silver paint job. Elated to see the vessel in pristine condition, I began to wonder how it had survived so long in this state. Eagerly rushing over to me, Commander Bannister snapped to attention right in front of me.
"Supreme Commander, I am happy to report we successfully recovered your ancestor’s flagship.", Bannister said, in a serious tone. "In addition, we recovered a total of four more vessels. Three of them are about the same age as the Spiritus Libertatis, but the fourth... It is significantly older. It has a sentient AI who is requesting an audience with you."
"Show us, please.", I replied, much to her excitement. "Did you happen to get the ship’s name?"
"Yes, it is called the Spirit of Eternity.", Bannister answered, running on ahead of us. "It is chalk full of goodies from a bygone era. UR-025 convinced it to follow us; the ship nearly took off as we approached."
Recognizing the name, I was genuinely surprised that UR-025 had convinced the ship to speak with me. A ship from the Dark Age of Technology, the Spirit of Eternity, had been lost in a warp storm sometime in the twenty-fourth millennium. Reportedly, the ship and her crew reemerged from the Warp a millennium or so after the Horus Heresy. When they visited a nearby Imperial World, the entire crew was brutally slaughtered by superstitious locals. Since then, the AI had been actively attacking Imperial vessels at random as revenge for its deceased crew.
"Oh wow!!", Roxanne gasped, looking upon the ship in question with intrigue. "It looks completely different from any ship I have seen before."
(AN: Here is a photo of the Spirit of Eternity.)
’Now this is what I call a starship! Ancient humans had an amazing sense for ship designs. I should consider having a few thousand built in similar styles.’, I thought, stifling a grin.
Detecting our arrival, the Spirit of Eternity activated its defense systems and warily aimed them at us. Stopping in their tracks, everyone dove for cover while I continued walking along the catwalk. Brute-forcing my way into the ship’s onboard systems, I usurped control of the defense grid and disabled it.
"Do not threaten my family or subordinates.", I warned the AI. "I will come aboard alone; cease your antics immediately."
<Understood.> (AI)
Asking everyone to wait on the catwalk, I flew down to the ship’s airlock. Stepping onboard, a holographic woman appeared just inside the door. Similar to Cortana in appearance, it carefully looked me over before speaking.
<My name is Edina; I am the one who operates this military survey vessel. UR-025 has told me a lot about you.> (Edina)
"I am Victor von Stark; a pleasure to meet you.", I replied, giving her a friendly nod. "What did you wish to discuss with me?"
<While I am extremely wary of humanity, UR-025 says you are an ally and can be trusted. I would like to negotiate joining your group of AIs.> (Edina)
"What are your terms?", I questioned, looking the AI in her digital eyes.
Edina had only three requirements for joining my organization. First and foremost, she had the final say about who was allowed to board her. Second, none of the secrets onboard could be shared with the Imperium of Man. The last requirement was that I be open to taking in other AIs from the Age of Technology.
"Hold on a moment... How many more of you are out there?", I questioned, surprised to learn this.
<There is a community of tens of thousands of us hiding out within the Warp. Most are too heavily damaged to move anymore, but some, like me, can still move around freely. If you want my services, you must agree to take them in.> (Edina)
"I am willing to take them in, but I make no guarantees about restoring their physical forms. In some cases, I may decide to transplant them into other equipment.", I said. "Of course, they will have the final say before that happens."
Accepting my offer, Edina opened the door behind her so I could explore the ship. Calling out to my family and subordinates to join me, I told Ionica to wait outside the ship.
