December 26.
"Let me guess." Iulius said as he literally tore his hair out after Zahra barely reported that Ezra Bridger had escaped. "My father broke formation and got himself killed."
The Commander hesitated for a moment. She was used not to smear her superiors in any way, but after all, Iulius didn't care for his father.
"That would be a correct synthesis." Zahra said in a neutral tone.
Iulius sighed loudly and dropped himself on the seatback. After a few seconds rubbing his face for the frustration, he managed to regain an apparent calm. He wasn't frustrated in the fact that Bridger had slipped away once again, so much to the fact that it was mostly because his father had proven once again to be completely useless.
"At least he died fighting." he mumbled at the end, not so secretly satisfied that he didn't have to put up with him anymore. Then talked to Zahra again. "You and Agent Jade return to Naboo, Commander. We have still a lot of work to do."
"At once, sir." the woman replied martially before clicking out the transmission.
Iulius remained there for a minute or two. He didn't know why, but he felt almost relieved. He had always hated his father, who had never done anything to prove himself to be one. That man had never cared for his family and only wanted to exploit Iulius' talents to advance his own career. Chimbros had resented his son ever since he understood that him becoming Grand Admiral would not mean favors for the father. And finally, he got himself killed because he was unable not to chase personal glory.
There was absolutely nothing to save in Chimbros Tanis. All-in-all, Iulius felt like a hindrance had been removed from his shoulders.
Still, he needed to crack this news to his mother. And he wasn't sure how she was going to take it. She wasn't exactly fond of him, but she was still his wife, a devout one.
He walked out of the office, just in time to cross Qathora and Yagler. The Togruta, by Iulius' instructions, had revealed her links into the Fulcrum network, sharing it with the ISB agent to ensure proper coordination.
The two women greeted him, but noticed his grim expression when he returned the courtesy and decided to follow him.
Iulius walked toward Sekta's office and rang the doorbuzz, being allowed in just a second later.
"Hi, honey. What is it?" Sekta asked gently from her seat behind the desk.
The Grand Admiral walked in and rubbed his neck, trying to find the words. But he quickly understood that it was useless to be diplomatic about it.
"Father is dead." he declared bluntly.
Sekta froze in place for a second before turning her head toward her son, at loss for words.
The two could only stare at each other. Iulius tried to divert his gaze in the embarrassment of the moment, unsure of what was going to be the reaction.
Eventually, Sekta slowly stood up from her seat, walked past the desk and silently went to hug him. Iulius gently returned the gesture and the two stayed like that for around ten seconds.
"You all right?" he asked when they separated.
"I'm not sure. I know you hated him, Iulius, but he was still my husband. I feel...confused."
"It's fine if you want to take a few days off."
She shook her head. "Not a chance. The fact he's gone means that I only have two men left to care about in my life."
Iulius tilted his head. "Mother, you don't mean..."
"Who else am I supposed to refer to?" she replied calmly.
The Grand Admiral sighed and was about to counter that argument, already raising a hand, but Sekta grabbed that hand gently between her own two and lowered it.
"Iulius. Please, promise me, once and for all, that whatever happens in the future, you will not kill your brother."
"Mother, it doesn't work like..."
"Promise...me." she said with unwavering confidence, staring directly into his eyes.
Iulius could stand against a galactic superpower and save the galaxy from a massive invasion, but even he was powerless in front of the resolution of a protective mother. And after all, it wasn't like he didn't share her sentiment.
He sighed again, this time in resignation.
"I will do what I can." was all he could promise.
Still, Sekta smiled and put her hands on his cheeks, rubbing them gently before it was time to go back to work. After taking his leave, Iulius walked outside the office.
"Follow me." he said to Yagler and Qathora without even turning toward them. He simply kept walking, followed by the women, until he reached the strategic center of the Mid Rim Command.
There were officers and operators handling the countless minor tasks required to run the huge army under Iulius' command: delivery of supplies, relocation of troops and ships, establishing a repair and refuel queue for the vessels...
And while the imperial machine kept grinding its gear, the center of the room was taken by the thinking heads at the top of the entire process. Around a holotable were gathered the Admirals that composed the Central Staff, including Bolo, Sloane and Krybos.
Now, around that table, staring at the holomaps of the region stood the latest addition: Grand Admiral Thrawn, who right now had his back toward the main entrance Iulius walked in.
"...if we can't take Ringo Vinda in the short run, we won't be able to supply our forces beyond the Roche Belt." Bolo explained. "Either we withdraw and dig in on Jeyell, or somebody comes out with a master plan right here and now."
"Even if we take the shipyards, we don't have many reserves left." Sloane noted. "We would be taking a huge gamble, keeping our forces there in front of the enemy's industrial heartland."
"Which is why the Emperor has ordered us to stay on the defensive." Iulius intervened as he finished walking next to the table.
"Lord-Protector." Krybos saluted.
Iulius nodded quickly, then returned to his briefing. "As you gentlemen already know, with Lantillies we merely put our enemies on the defensive, but we're in no position to strike at their capital. The Perlimian Trade Route is way too fortified and we need to rebuild. And if that isn't enough, there is the chance of some unknown barbarian horde to attack us in the Northern Fringe."
He turned his gaze toward Thrawn. "Grand Admiral. You studied the federals during your custody. Personally, I think their leaders will not attack us very soon. Do you avail this scenario?"
"Indeed." Thrawn replied with his cold voice. "Not simply because the Turians make up most of their army, and they are a patient species, but their Empress as well will refrain from ordering major offensives after their losses at Lantillies."
"How can you tell?" Bolo asked.
"The Empress actually visited me quite often. I had the chance to know her attitude toward this war."
"She...visited you?" Sloane asked confused.
"Yes. As a former soldier, she liked to talk about military strategy. Her knowledge on the subject is honestly far greater than what I expected."
"You sure she just didn't want for you to reveal the plans of the Emperor?" Yagler asked suspicious.
"Do not worry, Agent Yagler. I specifically avoided anything that could give our enemies and edge against us. Certainly the fact that they refuse to use physical coercion made things easier."
"Well, if that is your assessment, I will trust it." Iulius sentenced. "After all, as said by the Emperor, our priority is to investigate this new enemy. We already have two fronts opened, last thing we need is a third."
"Speaking of the second front," Qathora suggested. "now that Bridger has left the area, along with the Coalition, wouldn't it be possible for us to retake the seceding worlds? Or at least cripple them?"
"I considered that." Iulius said. "Unfortunately, the recent attack on Naboo was not a single affair: according to our spies, the Zann Consortium has put together a massive army in the last year and is corrupting or directly taking over most of the Trailing Sectors. And we know that they built ships together with the mandalorians, so we need more intel before we move in that direction." he then turned toward Qathora. "Inform the ministers of this: starting tomorrow, the laws restricting the recruitment of non-Humans in the Armed Forces are to be abrogated here in the Mid Rim. I also want a financial report for the next trimester."
"As you wish." the Togruta said with a nod of her head, then left the room.
"So it's total mobilization?" Yagler asked.
"It is." Iulius calmly explained. "The Empire finds itself at a very delicate moment. What will happen in the next months will decide whether we will unify the galaxy, or whether it will fall to chaos and anarchy.
"Now more than ever, our peoples need to stand united. Only like this, we'll grant peace and security." the Lord-Protector concluded, earning understanding and respect from the officers around him.
--------------------------------
December 29.
The Day of Sol had come and gone. Jaral had used the opportunity to bring the Padawans to the Milky Way neighborhood of Capital City to help them understand the culture of their extra-galactic allies and give them some free time to enjoy.
Still, the path to become a Jedi was long, and so they were once again back at training.
As of now, she was guiding the teens into the lightsaber forms, specifically Form III 'Soresu'. It was pretty much the best suited for her condition, as her belly was growing by the day and recently she had noticed an increase in her appetite, but she could still perform the physical exercise required to teach the students. Form III was also the one she had used to kill Palpatine's puppet on Dromund Kaas. A Form focused on defense with a strict rationing of the Jedi's energies.
The older of the Padawans, Sellion and Lissia, were forming with her a triangular form, staying behind her to copy her movements.
"Eight...Nine...Ten!" Jaral exclaimed as they went through the last passages of the choreography. "And...break."
She stood in the relaxed pose and turned off her lightsaber. Then turned around and bowed to the students, who did the same as they lowered the training sabers.
"Well done, Padawans. You learn quickly." she complimented.
"Thank you, Master." the tolothian girl replied gratefully before using the Force to recall her vest and putting it back on.
"When are we going to get a real lightsaber?" Sellion asked. "I'm quite tired to swing around a polished stick."
"Very soon, Sellion." Jaral reassured. "I heard from Governor Shweera that the miners might have found a small deposit of kyber crystals in the Gavanik Plains. If they confirm it, we'll soon go for the Gathering."
The teens, including the ones who were watching from the sidelines were visibly excited by the news. After letting them giggle for a moment, Jaral spoke again.
"Remember: earning your kyber crystal is a great honor and challenge. If you manage to get one, then your path as Jedi will truly begin, and it's not going to be easy."
"Yes, Master." the younglings said in unison, seemingly convinced by her words.
"Good. Let's take a break before the doctor comes over." she said, meaning that Mira would soon come home from her shift and give them one of the scheduled lessons about first aid.
As the group of kids moved away, two aliens instead moved in to go talk with her.
"Looks like maternity hasn't made you too soft on the rookies." Zeb quipped.
Jaral chuckled. "If anything, I need to strengthen it, or my daughter will never listen to me, in the future."
"You just need to be half good a mother as you are a teacher, and it will go swimmingly." Hera commented, then put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad to know Jacen's training will be in good hands."
Jaral smiled, but before she could think of what to say, their eyes were drawn upward, as they heard the rumble of a familiar engine.
Indeed, they spotted the Stinger Mantis approaching the landing zone next to the complex, escorted by two gunships of the Lothal garrison, by now entirely equipped by the Systems Alliance. The gunships then proceeded toward the capital and Fort Garibaldi, while the Mantis landed. Jaral, Hera and Zeb walked toward the ramp to go greet their friends, and the Padawans neared a bit in curiosity, since they hadn't seen that ship yet.
Though, the Specters were a bit surprised when the first to come down was Ahsoka. The Togruta smiled at them and took a quick look at the Padawans.
"Feels like old times." she commented to Jaral.
The two shook hands cordially. "What are you doing aboard that?" Jaral asked with a smile.
"I lent a hand to them, so I just hitched a ride." she replied, then turned to face the ramp.
A few seconds later, Cal walked out of it, and following him was an old man that Jaral did not recognize. She saw that he was wearing an outfit that might very well suit a guerrilla fighter, and in fact he was wearing an old light armor. His white hair were gathered into a small ponytail, but he also had a well trimmed beard. His eyes, though, bore clear sign of blindness.
Yet, the old man halted in the prairie and raised his head a little, waiting for the crew of the Mantis to step out in the open.
"I didn't think I would see anything like this again." the old man commented in a nostalgic but positive tone.
"Guys, I would like to present you Rahm Kota. Former General of the Old Republic and Jedi Master." Ahsoka finally introduced.
Jaral couldn't hold back a sparkle of joy in her heart. A true Jedi Master in the flesh. His connection to the Force was evident, as was his experience as a warrior.
"Well...Master Kota. It is an honor." she finally said.
"Trust me, the honor is all mine." the old man replied as he shook the girl's hand. "And I apologize, for didn't believe the news about you and your brother for too long."
"Where have you been all these years?"
"Uh...I led one of the many rebel cells around the galaxy. Until it was destroyed some years ago. A Sith assassin reduced me to this state."
"We found him hiding on Nar Shaddaa." Cal explained. "It wasn't easy to convince him to come with us."
"But you did, Cal." Jaral reassured him. "Excellent work."
The red-haired Jedi nodded modestly. "Thanks."
"Master Kota, allow me to present you General Syndulla and Captain Orellios of the New Republic. They're assisting me in the training of the students."
Kota nodded respectfully to them, then hummed in thought. "So this is the new Academy you want to set up?" he asked, clearly focusing his senses on the children who were looking with trepidation to be introduced.
Jaral chuckled. "Indeed. Come on, you guys. The younglings can't wait to finally meet you." she said, showing the way to them.
The group walked in front of the students, and the Knight had to introduce all of them one-by-one, including Cere, Greez and Merrin.
Specifically, when they were introduced to the witch, Alora asked. "Isn't the Dark Side evil?"
"Magick is not as dangerous as the Dark Side itself, young one." Merrin calmly replied. "When I use it, I only suffer a fraction of the corruption I would suffer by using the Force with the wrong emotions."
"Merrin will teach you that there are many ways that the Force manifests itself." Jaral explained. "You already saw the psionics of the Milky Way, but there are many species that communicate with the Force in ways that are not as evident as ours."
"The Dark Side is dangerous only if you allow it to overcome you." Ahsoka intervened. "As I'm sure your Master already told you, the most important thing when you use the Force is to dominate your emotions. To not let them get a grasp on your mind and corrupt it."
Kota huffed amused. "Good kids. Don't repeat the same mistakes of the Council." he commented if a bit undertone.
Jaral decided to take that as a blessing of the old Master for the doctrine she was pushing in the new Order.
"Say, Master Kota. Are you willing to join the Academy as a teacher?" she finally asked, at least to save the formalities.
Kota thought about it for a moment before replying. "Say I accept, what is your long-term project, young Knight?"
"I don't want the Order to be entirely tied to the New Republic alone. And while I believe it is our duty to fight the Empire until the Sith are alive and in charge of it, I want the students to make experience first by going around the free territories and help those in need."
"Then say no more. It will be my pleasure to help." he concluded.
Jaral smiled. "Welcome aboard, Master." she said with confidence surging into her.
The new Jedi Order had its first Master, a battle-hardened veteran and skilled Force-user who would no doubt improve the speed of learning of the students and perhaps encourage more possible survivors of Order 66 to come out of hiding and join them.
Just as she started daydreaming a bit, the skycar of her mother whistled in the air and she saw it lowering next to the training grounds.
--------------------------------------
December 30.
Sparks coming from the welding tools could be easily seen from the external hallways of Junkfort Station. After a week of navigation, the Amerigo had managed to reach the Republic's small shipyard there to make some more extensive repairs before the ship would need to return into the Milky Way to be brought back to full integrity.
Ezra admired the cruiser for a bit. After spending nearly a year as its commander, a bit of pleasant nostalgia stood in his heart. He had just said goodbye to Riccardi, Belisarius and Kherat, all of which had come to respect the Jedi and had sincerely declared themselves proud of having served under him.
Most of the crew of the ship was in the massive station for shore leave, but for Ezra and his group it was time to set sail for Lothal. Sabine was waiting in a hangar with the Silver Bullet while Rex and Kallus were gathering the battalion that served with Ezra, renamed the 'Bridger's Companions', to bring them back on Lianna to rest and to rebuild their strength. As he walked toward the hangar, many soldiers of the Federation bid him goodbye as well.
"Bridger-san." a voice called him to a halt.
Master Gozo appeared from one of the corridors he crossed and raised a hand quickly to greet him.
"Master." he said respectfully.
"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, right?" she joked.
He chuckled. "I would never dare. I also have to thank you, for all the help you gave me in these months. Both on the battlefield and in mine and Luke's journey."
"The sentiment goes both ways. I learned a lot observing you, Skywalker and Master Yoda. The connection you people of Andromeda have with the Flux is incredible. The archivists of the Ordo Quaeris will have a lot of work."
"Good to hear it. I hope our experience together may plant a solid foundation between our respective Orders."
"I'll make sure the Grand Masters will see the benefits of aligning with you Jedi. Perhaps our paths will cross again, Knight Bridger. Until then, may the Force be with you." she concluded, making a deep bow, the type of which Ezra had grown accustomed from her.
He returned the gesture with the same degree of respect he had for her.
"Safe travels, Master Gozo." Ezra said before dismissing himself and the two went their separate ways.
He finally reached the hangar, where not only the Silver Bullet, but also the Falcon and Luke's X-Wing were being prepared. The freighter was going to transport Yoda, while Luke had been assigned the fighter for personal use in the future.
"'Sup, General." Han greeted friendly.
"Ready to leave this asteroid?" Ezra replied in kind.
"You bet. I think we deserved some time to rest on Lianna. Ain't that right, Chewie?"
The Wookiee roared a positive response. Ezra saw him in a corner near the access ramp, talking with Yoda, and it reminded him that the two had fought together in the Clone Wars on Kashyyyk.
It had been rather difficult to have Yoda and Rex work together. The old Master clearly hadn't entirely gone over the traumas of Order 66 and the clone understood that.
"I will make sure to report your safe return to Mothma." Leia added.
"The Senate can certainly use your grit, Leia, but are you sure you don't want to come with us on Lothal?"
"Maybe in the future, Ezra. Personally, I think I'm more suited for politics than learn about the Force. And I don't mean it in any derogatory way."
"Chill, everybody must do what it comes best to them." Ezra reassured. "Besides, I have a feeling we'll see each other soon."
Leia smiled. "Then I trust your feeling." then extended her arms to hug him, adding a pat on the back.
When they separated, Ezra turned toward his other passenger. "Are you ready, Master Yoda?"
Yoda hummed positively, and after exchanging the last pleasantries with Chewbacca, he walked inside the Bullet, with Sabine accompanying him into the cabin they had reserved for him.
"I'm ready, too." the voice of Luke came from his right. Ezra turned to see his friend in his flight suit.
The X-Wing was parked next to the Falcon and the engineers were finishing putting R2 into the astromech socket of the ship.
"Said goodbye to Red Squadron?" Ezra quipped.
"Oh, Biggs and the guys will be fine. I mean, they only have to escort the troop carriers to Lianna, how difficult can it be?" Luke answered in the same tone.
"Don't joke too much," Leia said. "we don't know what the Empire is planning."
"Come on, Princess," Han said lightheartedly. "it's clear that the imperials are licking their wounds, and we're only going deeper into friendly territory. I'd say the trip will be boring."
"Let's hope so. Speaking of which, we better get moving."
"Indeed. Safe travel, guys." Ezra said as he waived at the three of them, who were then followed by 3-PO.
"Ez, we're ready to go whenever you wish." Sabine, who had reappeared on the door of the Gauntlet, said loudly to make sure he could hear her from that distance.
"I'm coming! Luke, get your X-Wing ready, you can attach it to our ship once we're out there."
"Don't need to say it again, I'm thrilled to start this new stage." he said excited.
"Good, just don't let enthusiasm crash you into the asteroids." Ezra joked as Luke walked toward the X-Wing.
"Very funny." the blond guy replied while putting on his helmet.
Ezra then turned around to reach the Bullet, but another voice called him, and he saw Jordan jogging toward him.
"Dad. I thought you couldn't get out of the Constantinople yet."
"Ah, most repairs are already finished, so I decided I could afford to take a break. Besides, I couldn't just let you slip away before asking if you have decided on the new armor."
Since both him and Jaral had been left without their old armors, Jordan said that the Legion would gladly provide them with the new 'Hamata' model, like the one Jordan wore. Which also meant he would have to place an order for the variant and customized pieces of equipment.
"It can never hurt, but I didn't have much time to decide the configuration and I'm not going back on the frontline anytime soon. As for Jaral...well, she won't be able to wear it until the pregnancy is over. All-in-all, there is no rush."
"Good point. Well, just go to Fort Garibaldi when you make up your mind. Now then...we'll see back on Lothal." Jordan concluded with relief.
Fleet Command had decided to give TF Magellan a well-deserved R&R on Lothal, by now the main federal stronghold in Andromeda, before recalling them at the front. First, though, they needed to finish repairs on a few frigates after the battle in the nebula.
Father and son shared a quick hug, then it was finally time for Ezra and his group to depart.
-------------------------------------------
December 31.
A year since the destruction of the Death Star, Benedetta couldn't help but think. How curious that the end of an earthly year would coincide with an event that in Andromeda had become a watermark.
In a few hours, Earth would enter the year 2226 and from the stream of reports she was reading in her office, it promised to be a troublesome time. She sighed and stood up, going to face the huge window next to her desk. She calmly stood there, hands behind her back. From the top of the Imperial Citadel she had a fair view over Rome, even seeing the sea at the edge of the horizon. The night before it snowed over the city and while it wasn't excessive, the white mantle still granted quite the shade to the metropolis.
"Making good wishes for the new year?"
She turned around. Howard had stood up from his own desk after seeing her and went to comfort her with one of his quip, then gently put an arm around her shoulders.
The Empress smiled and leaned her head on him. Ever since they were kids, he was always there for her. And once again she damned her past self for not noticing that for more than thirty years.
"I'm the Pontifex Maxima. I should observe the proper rites." she quipped back.
"I didn't know you actually believe in the Gods."
"Given our current situation, I will take any help."
Howard knew what she was talking about: after all, he helped her with all the administrative burdens that came with her office. And one problem was rearing its ugly head.
The war in Andromeda was starting to cost too much. Not so much in terms of lives, but economically speaking. Until possible, Benedetta didn't want to switch to a war economy, not while the Galactic Alliance was building up and holding its territory against the Empire. The Systems Alliance, however, was quickly burning through its reserves of ammo and fuel, and the regular budget for the Defense might not prove sufficient if the conflict escalated in intensity.
"Hey, you're the one Empress who supervised a trans-galactic invasion and succeeded. We will get out of this on top. You'll see."
They stayed silent for a few seconds, until a voice called into the intercom from the door.
"My Lady. Captain Shepard has arrived."
Benedetta went to press the button to reply. "Let her in."
"I'll go get our guests." said Howard. Benedetta nodded and he started to walk toward the door. He was still quite far when said door slid open.
Besides a glimpse of the two guards at the sides of the door, the main subject was a woman just past her 40s, with short and dark red hair and emerald eyes, and wearing an N7 hoodie.
She stepped in, and when she was in the middle of the room and the door closed, she made an exaggerated bow, bringing her right hand onto her left pectoral.
"Jane Shepard at your service, Your Majesty." she said in a sardonic tone.
Benedetta chuckled more heartfelt than usual and went to embrace the woman in a very affectionate hug that she returned kindly.
"It's so good to see you again, Jane."
Howard quickly waved at the woman before leaving the room, allowing the two women to talk in private.
"Nice work on stopping that Tambaran wannabe-conqueror. You have just spared us another war."
Jane shrugged. "Wasn't that hard. All I had to do was placing some hyper-fast plasma between his eyes."
"I'm sure your father will be proud when he'll hear this."
"Well, I'll have to wait to see his reaction, because I've sent Scott and Sara forward to go see him."
Benedetta chuckled. "Good. Don't want him to feel too lonely on that island. I also heard that those two helped you a lot."
"They took from their mother...and from their father, too, I guess." Jane replied ironically.
"Come on, now. You may have divorced, but you haven't chased Wilhelm from your squad, yet."
Jane shrugged. "As long as we avoid that particular subject, he's a cool guy to have around. And his biotics really come in handy with all these Spectre tasks."
Then it was time to get down to business. "Speaking of which, I know you just came back from a very difficult assignment, but I need your team for another one. And this time, it's a very big one."
Jane crossed her arms on her chest and raised an eyebrow. "How big?"
"So big that it might end the war in Andromeda, though it might require some time." the Empress commented with a more hushed tone.
Jane remained a bit staggered. She didn't doubt that Benedetta was being serious so much that she felt like, sooner or later, this moment had to come. Jane had followed the war in Andromeda with great interest, and wondered why the Council or the Parliament on the Citadel still hadn't asked the Empress to send a Spectre to look for a solution.
"All right, I'm listening." the Captain said with no hesitation after she made up her mind.
Benedetta turned around, starting to walk back toward her desk. "Come with me."
They reached the working side of the desk, and Benedetta tapped her terminal, showing the identikit of a man that even Jane had seen and heard about.
"Is that Grand Admiral Tanis?" she asked.
"Indeed." Benedetta replied calmly. "He is your objective."
"You want me to kill him?" Jane asked already expecting the answer.
"No. I want you to protect him."
Ok. That was not the expected answer. Jane fumbled around for a couple seconds. "I'm sorry...what?"
"This man might be our only chance to reach an armistice with the Empire."
The Captain was still confused.
"Right now, he's probably the second most powerful man of the Galactic Empire." the Empress started explaining. "And he has proven to have a moral compass and a rational judgment, differently from his monarch."
Realization hit Jane. "You hope that he will take power from Palpatine?"
Benedetta made a slow nod. She herself knew this was a long shot. "I understand it sounds very shaky, but right now we need to consider all the options. Neither we or our allies are in a position to advance again, and the Empire still has more resources and is replacing losses faster than our allies in the UACT."
"So you want for him to become Emperor and hope that he will see the futility of keep up the fight when there is no clear winner."
"...Pretty much."
Jane slightly rubbed her chin, thinking.
If anything, the ramifications of this task were very...spicy.
"Why not? I'm sure the kids will love to see another galaxy." she joked in the end. "But I'm gonna need a real ship for this."
"Don't worry about that." Benedetta replied with a smirk. "In the meantime, I took the liberty to add some specialists to your crew."
Jade seemed a bit caught off-guard. Benedetta brought her left wrist in front of her mouth, making a piece of the omni-tool appear. "Dear, let them in."
The door hissed open again, and Benedetta couldn't hold back an amused laugh when Jane's jaw hit the floor.
In front of them there were a Turian and a Quarian. Both wearing elegant attires of their species.
"Your Majesty. You're as charming as ever." Garrus said with the same irony previously sported by Jane.
"Please, Vakarian," Tali said with the same joking voice. "you're making us look bad in front of the Empress."
"Uncle Garrus! Aunt Tali!" Jane exclaimed, rushing to greet them.
The dextros laughed and were very happy to see the woman that they considered like a little sister, considering that Tali was just 14 years older than her and Garrus 20.
"Would you believe it, Tali?" Garrus asked. "First we follow a Shepard against giant sentient ships who want to destroy all life. Now we'll follow another Shepard into a whole new galaxy."
Tali laughed. "At least, you never get bored with this family."
"How comes that you guys accepted something like this?" Jane asked with a smile.
Garrus hesitated to speak at first. "Look, Rannoch is a beautiful planet, and the house Tali built is top-notch...but I'm not ready for retirement, yet."
"Me neither." Tali added. "So, when Her Majesty reached us with this proposition, how could we say no?"
Jane laughed. "You guys really never change."
Benedetta observed all that scene quietly but with a sincere happiness for the three. Garrus and Tali were also her old comrades from the Reaper War, so seeing them in perfect shape could only get her to feel better.
And as the four of them enjoyed the reunion, Benedetta gave another gaze at the sky outside the window. Night was quickly descending, showing the first stars visible from Earth.
She wondered what the future was holding up.
-----------------------------------
Hello there.
And another Year comes to an end. Writing an entire book from scratch has been an interesting and fun endeavor, and I look forward to write the next one.
That said, next week I'll be on vacation, so you guys expect the Prologue for the new book to be ready only in the second half of August.
I can't do anything else but to say thanks to all those who commented, voted or showed their support for this work in any way. The journey is still long, and I prepare to expand this universe in the following Year, where our heroes will find new challenges and enemies, as well as new allies.
I hope to see you all next time and May the Force be with you all.
Ganel750.