Chapter 5: The Lull Between.

Victory for the people! Due to the plans of Lelouch vi Britannia, the strength of Separatist Arms and the will and determination of the Geonosian people, the corrupt and violent Republic forces and their Jedi were handed a decisive defeat on Geonosis. With its droid factories left untouched, they produce thousands of new battle droids to aid the righteous cause of the Separatists against the Republic while maintaining their planet as a Separatist staging ground for attacks on the Corellian Run! Recalled to the capital, Lelouch now faces his superiors.

Far from the barren wastes of Geonosis, lay the capital of the Confederacy of Independent Systems of Raxus Secundus. Like many of its member worlds and sectors, the planet was in the Outer Rim. A verdant terrestrial world, its planet was lush and pleasant for most sentient life, with a breathable temperate climate without the need for gear by most life.

It was not without dangers, as its hospital environment and atmosphere made for plentiful and dangerous predators that roamed its forests, plains, hills, and vast oceans. But as the capital of Raxulon, such dangers could be forgotten. It was here, within the elegant and orderly city, that the Separatist Parliament was located, and since the beginning of the war, it has also played host to the headquarters of the Separatist military.

It was the latter that Lelouch and the rest were meeting with. Having only remained on Geonosis long enough to oversee the retreat of the Republic forces while only offering token resistance, and to retreat with a sizable portion of newly built Battle Droids and their Super Tank models, they had returned to the capital to find open arms, as they weren't just brought to speak with the Separatist command. Still, the Executive Separatist Council, Dooku's closest advisors, were some of the most powerful players within the Confederacy.

“Lelouch vi Britannia. Nunnally vi Britannia, Kallen Stadtfeld, Catherine Sabathra, Leila Breisgau, Alice Promince. Let me say that you have done our cause a great service with your deeds on Geonosis.” Dooku started as he and his council sat and appraised the gathered youths.

Poggle wasn't present physically. Instead, he had remained on his homeworld and was communicating via holonet projection, where he would have sat. With him was his tactical driod, which translated his words: "The Archduke expresses his gratitude and high praise for your efforts, and states that his queen has similar sentiments and has vowed that her people will continue to aid your cause as long as the Separatists can continue to shield them from Republic reprisals."

"It also helps our coffers as we spent many credits to help excavate the area and build those factories. It would have been a waste if the Republic had destroyed it all before it could reach full production capacity." San Hill, chairman of the InterGalactic banking clan, added.

He was not well-liked among the youths. While he supported their cause, Lelouch and Leila could never shake the feeling that he was playing them. Nunnally believed he was merely playing both sides for their profits, but true or not, they dare not say it now.

“And because of its proximity to the Corellian Run, we can continue to contest the hyperspace route, and perhaps launch offensives onto planets along the way.” The new temporary foreman for the Tehno union spoke, as he filled in for the missing Wat Tambor.

"Let's not be greedy, as our dearly captured Wat Tambor.” Shu Mai, a high-ranking official from the Commerce Guild, advised. They knew how Wat's greed led to his capture during their retreat from Ryloth.

Of course, Lelouch had spent enough time in politics and heard the rumours. He suspected that it was not just Ryloth's cultural art and history that kept Wat from leaving, but his obsession with securing assets parked on the planet that belonged to fellow council member Passel Argente, the Magistrate of the Corporate Alliance.

“Shu Mai is right, besides, more can be made to support the cause should we make use of this route for trade. Perhaps more planets along the route could be made to…see our way of thinking if we can show how little power the Republic has." Nute Gunray, the representative of the Trade Federation, suggested.

His position was…an interesting one, as officially, the Trade Federation denounced him as a traitor to keep their seat and ties with the Republic, but most Separatists and Republicans knew it was more of a paper ruling than anything enforced. Leila didn't trust him, as he was a well-known coward and snake who, unlike San, pretended to be more than a greedy businessman seeking profits.

"Another blockade, like what was done with Ryloth?" Senator Po Nudo asked. The Ualaq was a senator within the Separatist Parliament but also held a seat at the council because of his role as the head of the Hyper-Communications Cartel, their answer to the Republic-controlled Holonet.

He, Lelouch, and the rest were…mixed about. He was not a good man, but they've accepted that most politicians weren't. And while he was rather obsessed with their victories, his efforts to plaster it across the HCC had garnered plenty of praise and helped solidify support amongst their people.

“The republic forces are stretched thin.” Senator Rogwa Wodrata added, seemingly in support of Nudo’s question.

"Council members, perhaps we can discuss such matters later." Dooku paused the discussion, glancing towards the gathered teens, appearing slightly embarrassed that they’d seen that. “Pardon us for the delay.”

"It's nothing, sir, these are tense times, and one can't fault you for discussing how to make the most of his windfall," Nunnally answered for them, as she had long gotten over her disappointment at being able to fight a Jedi like Kallen had, and could present a more ladylike style, one which didn’t include being hyper and pulling a lightsaber out.

“A windfall we secured through your efforts. Grievous, I trust you followed my orders?” Dooku turned to Lelouch and the rest’s direct superior officer, the Supreme Martial Commander, and a man who made a name for himself in fighting and slaying Jedi, General Grievous.

The cyborg was large and intimidating, and he could be as unforgiving to his own battle droids as his enemies. Lelouch didn't think highly of the Republic or the Jedi, for that matter. He didn't fault his commander for his zeal in destroying both, but Leila did.

Clones…they weren't their true enemy, they were born slaves to the Republic, another sort of battle droid, yet from what she had heard and seen in reports, Grievous either didn't see their humanity or didn't care, particularly his stunt to strike at medical stations. Where was the morality? How did it help their cause when commanders like Grievous seemed to love living up to the Republic propaganda, which painted him as a monster, the 'head clanker'?

Grievous stepped up and pressed a button on the table, projecting the details of Geonosis's new planetary defense force. "I prepared a planetary defense force; the Republic would be fools to try and make any moves now.”

Nunnally was pleased, if only because the table wasn't too tall for her, so she could see the fleet force without going on her toes, and it seemed pretty impressive to her.

A Lucrehulk-class battleship; 2 Providence-class Dreadnoughts; 4 Recusant-class light destroyers and 10 Munificent-class star frigates. It wasn't the biggest, but when she saw how many droid fighters were stationed with the fleet, and on the planet itself, she could see that any assault would be a costly one for the Republic, and buy time for them to send reinforcements to ensure that the assault ended in failure.

Poggle seemed to agree with that sentiment and voiced it, to which Dooku spoke in turn for the council. "We thank you for this, as I can assure you that every battle droid you produce will increase our chances of complete victory in this war."

“Speaking of victory, Kallen, I heard you managed to kill one, a master Ki-Adi-Mund?" Grievous asked, Kallen detecting that the cyborg was upset that she claimed the kill of a Jedi council member, when he had not.

"Mundi, and yes, I defeated him in battle," Kallen replied, with a strange tone.

“You don’t sound pleased, child. Why is that?” Dooku asked, as he would have imagined she would be quite happy with her victory. She was quite passionate about their cause, just not in the same way as Nunnally.

He was right, Kallen should be happy, and for a few hours, she was, but when she had time to think about it, the high vanished and just left her…unsatisfied. "It wasn't the fight that I sought, Count Dooku. I knew I would be pushed, but I hoped it would be the ultimate test of my skills. I needed to catch him off guard to land the finishing blow."

"And where's the issue here? You tricked a Jedi, you killed a Jedi. I would have preferred it if you had secured his lightsaber before you left." Grievous challenged that feeling.

"I agree with the general, besides, wasn't this Mundi a member of the Jedi council? To defeat him in battle and take his life is nothing short of impressive." Gunray added, trying to appeal to her ego. Kallen had to suppress the disgusted shiver at his naked ass kissing.

“It certainly undermines the skills and capacities of the Jedi to be bested by someone so….young.” Nudo seemed happy about that, as Kallen had already made her debut because of it, being featured in equal share with Lelouch to engineer their victory strategy. Some called her a Padawan who has seen the light.

She hated being called just a padawan; she was much more than those Jedi-to-be.

“I was more focused on getting our fighters out and prepping for the assault on the rest of the Republic forces.” Kallen kept it professional; she could work through her frustrations with good training. In fact, she was due for a spar with Nunnally and Alice.

"I have been informed of such, and if the situation were different, I have no doubt that you would have slaughtered the Republic clones and the remaining Jedi in that corner of the battle." Dooku complimented, as he would be a fool not to recognize the shift in the board that would have come from the deaths or capture of Jedi as renowned as Obi-Wan and Anakin.

However, because of their prominence, his master ensured such a thing didn't come to pass. Now, Dooku would need to play a more delicate game to ensure that these youths didn't chase those 2 anytime soon.

“It is because of this that you have all been promoted. Lelouch, you will be given the rank of Commandant. Nunnally, Kallen, you'll both be made Commanders. Catherine, Alice, Leila, you're to be promoted to the ranks of Captain." Dooku listed off their newly gained ranks, to which they bowed as they were called.

"Thank you, we won't fail you in our future missions," Leila spoke for the group, to which Dooku and the rest nodded as he gestured for Grievous to lead them out.

“I doubt you will. Dismissed.”

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Stepping out of the meeting room, the group walked down the halls, following the general, a figure most avoided. “General, do you have any more tasks for us?”

“Eager to slay more Republic dogs?” Grievous asked, glancing over his shoulder at them, but they didn't respond to him as he coughed into his hand. "I'm afraid we're not lacking in soldiers at the moment; however, I do have an operation in the works for which I think you'll be well suited. We'll discuss that later as I have other things to tend to."

With that, he left, and no one kept following them.

"He hates being here," Nunnally called out.

“He hates every second he’s not hunting Jedi. Why was he made commander again?” Catherine asked as she always got a little unnerved around the cyborg. He seemed close to killing just about anyone who could be in his way of killing Jedi.

“I couldn’t tell you, but it’s not like we can argue it, I’m just a captain after all.” Alice shrugged, a little upset that her rank was so low, but she couldn't complain as Dooku's call cut her chance to shine like Kallen and Nunnally.

“Patience, we've been recognized. It shouldn't be too hard to garner some additional support," Lelouch reminded them. They had a goal here, one which they needed to work towards carefully.

“Guys!” someone called out as they turned, seeing a young girl with light purple hair rushing towards them.

“Anna?” Leila called as Anna ran into her arms, hugging her tight as Leila returned the gesture. “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking at her old friend and the four other women following after her.

“We came to congratulate you in person; video calls just don’t do things justice.” Anna smiled. She had been worried when she heard about their deployment and had followed the news about the battle. It might have been short, but the reports painted it as a massive engagement.

“It was also because we worried. The parliament wished to grant you all rewards for your efforts, but alas, Count Dooku wished for a private affair.” The eldest of the group spoke up, the tall, middle-aged woman coming as soft, kind, yet firm and confident in equal measure. But one couldn't expect anything less from Mina Bonteri.

"I wish we had gotten some medals. We did get some fancy new ranks and praise all around, so it's not a bummer." Catherine shrugged as she handed her blasters to Inoue. Their assistant silently smiled as she looked over the weapons, but Catherine could trust that she could handle them well enough.

"A pity, but if you like, we could discuss this more at the estate," Mina suggested, gesturing down the path to the elevator.

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Not long later, their transport landed at the Bonteri estate, a large mountainside villa with its main building having a commanding view of the bay. Waiting for them was a young man who shared his mother's grey eyes and brown hair. “Mother, you’ve returned early.” Lux Bonteri greeted his mother at the landing pad as she exited the shuttle.

"Well, the session was a short one today, and besides, we have some guests," Mina replied, gesturing to the rest of the party. For a moment, Lux wondered why it was such a big deal. Anna was a frequent visitor at the estate, having a room in the villa. The same is true for Yoko and Clarice, though both preferred to stay in an apartment in town, close to a workshop that Inoue operated for blasters.

But the rest drew his attention, or more accurately, one of them.

“Nunnally, you’re back!” Lux cheered as he rushed towards her, ready to help her with her bags.

Nunnally's eyes lit up when she saw him, throwing her arms open to give him the biggest hug, letting her things fall and slide down the ramp. The rest silently moved out of the way. "Yup, how’s things been around here?"

"Well, you know...holding down the fort, building up my support base, learning the ropes, that sort of thing.” Lux tried to respond, only to spot Nunnally's unimpressed brother watching him over her shoulder.

“Cute.” Lelouch didn't say more; he didn't need Lux to feel like he should step back, and he would have if Nunnally hadn't tightened her grip on him and turned to glare at her brother.

“Brother, you don’t get to mess with him, that’s my job.” Others might have feared her stare, but Lelouch saw it as a kitten trying to growl at a large dog. It was more cute than anything else.

“How is that a defense?” Lux asked, missing how Lelouch turned his head to hide his smirk at his sister's adorable defense of her not-boyfriend. He didn't know why she assumed he disapproved, or even had a say in who she dated. As long as she was happy, he couldn't care less.

But Lux is not thinking about making him an uncle anytime soon, else he'll learn how the force can be used to sterilize someone without anesthetic or warning.

"I never said it was. Now let's go, let them discuss the boring stuff. Alice, you too!" Nunnally dragged Lux off to talk with him, and Alice grabbed her friend's forgotten luggage and zipped off after them.

“She acts like I’m 20 years her senior.” Lelouch mused, as he wasn’t even 20 yet.

“It helps that you act like it, old man.” Catherine teased him, leading to Lelouch grunting.

“People don’t respect children and wouldn’t have trusted them with any official positions with power.” Kallen came to his defense, as they had to do a lot of work just to get the Geonosis deployment, and she bet it was because the planet wasn't meant to be attacked. The best they could tell was that Gunray's mole in the Republic Senate had been made.

"Just don't go gambling again. It's entertaining to read about, but I wouldn't want such a bad influence on Lux." Mina joked, though Lelouch could pick up a hint of steel in the woman's words as she led in them. The group deposited their bags in their rooms for the next few days before being led to the dining room, one that had a good view over the estate's primary gardens.

Served with drinks, they caught on for a while, enjoying the peace away from the battlefield and the parliament, before something which Leila had been ignoring became too great to dismiss.

“Senator," Leila started, but the woman ignored her as she continued a conversation with Kallen. Mrs. Bonteri…?”

Leila sighed. Seeing how Lelouch and the rest were looking at her, she gave in and tried again. “Mina?”

Mina turned to address her like a switch had been flipped; Kallen looked just as pleased at the rest. “Better, what is it, Leila?”

“I wished to ask about something. Do you…like General Grievous?” Leila asked, to which Mina was quick to respond.

"Not in the slightest. Though I can say that I don't like much of our military command staff, " the older woman said without shame or pause.

“Why is that?” Catherine asked, as she would bet the woman would like the general whose efforts kept them in the way and resulted in plenty of Republic losses. After all, if they didn't make the Republic bleed, they wouldn't be willing to see their point and allow the Separatists to leave.

"Dear, for many within the Separatist movement, myself included, we left the Republic because we believe it can't be reformed, nor does its current state truly live up to its ideals. It's far too corrupted by moneyed interests, political power brokering, and structural inequality." Mina explained that she didn't want this war. A great many of her colleagues felt the same and just wanted their independence.

But it would need to be something greater than the Republic, which meant setting an example for a proper government now, so that her son and his children would have something to build on, a past worth being proud of.

“Isn’t that why we fight then? To leave and be recognized as our own separate government?" Kallen asked.

"It's why we fight, but not why all of us fight. Many of our commanders are in it for personal reasons, revenge, or a chance to act as warlords while they can under the fog of war. I understand that Dooku sees their skills and potential, but I wish it wasn't so dire that we must rely on such." Mina sighed.

"Well, we should have expected it when we left the Republic. Many of the best officers came from core and mid-rim worlds. They wouldn't see our plight, or be too loyal to their worlds to leave to aid our fight." Lelouch noted, though one could say that the Republic military was itself biased. It might not have been large before the Clone Wars, being near non-existent. Still, the fact was that more politically connected and wealthier systems could afford to train up better soldiers and officers.

“I fail to see how we’re any different," Kallen stated as Mina turned to them with a sad smile.

“You’re still young, sometimes I’m reminded too young, but you’re not like them and certainly nothing like Grievous. He doesn't care for our cause, struggles, or this war. Grievous wishes to slaughter Jedi for slaughter's sake." She stated that she also hated how people her son's age could find themselves dragged into this pointless war. And she knew they weren't the only ones, as many worlds had youth brigades.

"I'm not a saint either," Lelouch reminded her, as she was one of the few who knew their story, or rather, what they knew as the truth he told. None of them could recall most of how they got here. They could recall their true home world and what their lives were like, but for some years, there was this…blank space.

"And yet you all still restrict yourself to the core tenets of our movement. That in of itself is a virtue, being able to hold one's own chain." Mina replied, but Leila wasn’t satisfied with just that.

“There’s something else, isn’t there?” she asked, as she caught the impressive look in her mentor's face. Mina had wished to avoid this, but now that it had been brought to her attention, she couldn't just pass it by.

“I…I had a call with an old friend, a former Republic senator for Mandalore." She started

"Aren't they neutral? There shouldn't be any issue with you contacting them," Leila asked, understanding that some didn't like them, but they hadn't attacked or otherwise harmed their cause.

Mina shook her head. “There isn’t, especially since Mandalore's duchess chairs the Council of Neutral Systems. Many are like us and have been unfairly treated by the Republic, but they refuse to take up the sword."

“Cowards.” Kallen frowned, only for Mina to scold her.

“Kallen, not everyone who fights is brave, and not everyone who refuses is a coward. Life is far more complex than that. For Mandalore, its people's history is steeped in blood and war. I applaud the current leadership's determination not to repeat such a past." Mina's words left Kallen looking away, as it reminded her a little too much of when her mother would scold her.

“So what is the issue then? If you can call them whenever you like and seem to respect them, why is this on your mind?" Leila asked again, as they weren't getting much detail from this.

"It's because neutral systems have been under some strain. Thanks to your victory, we've secured a Separatist hold close to two Republic worlds and access to a major hyperspace route. The Republic has pushed for the neutrals to enter the war, and has been cutting trade." Mina replied, which was received as well as she had expected.

Poorly.

“Wait, that’s….” Leila started, but was interrupted.

“Legal, though it’s a move I would expect from the Trade Federation. To them, as long as they gain their payments and increase profits, all is fair game.” Mina cut her off as it was perhaps a terrible move, but one couldn't be forced to engage in trade. Even if the Trade Federation wasn't a monopoly, they liked it when people traded with one another using them as the middlemen; it was part of how they made their profits.

“But to lean on neutral systems, wouldn’t that just increase the strain, having to patrol more of the galaxy?” Catherine asked, as it seemed like a means to get more weight and stretch their clones out more.

"It would also give them access to greater pools of manpower, resources, and credit," Lelouch stated that planets within the neutral systems were a mix of worlds: some seemingly factory worlds, others rich in resources or having massive populations. Even if not in the Banking clans, planets typically had billions in credit saved up, which could be used to fund the war effort.

“It seems like foul play to me.” Leila shook her head.

"Quite so, but the issue still stands. Many of their members are already starting to feel the strain from the lack of trade, but when I asked if they would perhaps join us now that the Republic is trying to force their hand, he refused.” Mina sighed, as she suspected it was the Duchess. She had no issue with Satine, but the woman was a devout pacifist. Nothing short of a Republic invasion would break that, and even then, she would suspect that Satine wouldn't fully join the Separatists. 

"It would be a challenge to take in new member worlds, but like the Republic, it would benefit us should we utilize them well.” Lelouch mused, but then an idea came to mind. "But on the other hand, they can benefit our cause in other ways."

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I was up so fucking late last night…or more accurately, this morning, completing an assignment due at 9AM, a change, as typically they're due in the evening. Because of that, I was up till well past 4 to finish, edit, and then submit it, and when I did, I cheered, closed my laptop, left the study, and just collapsed on my bed. I was so exhausted that I forgot to turn the thing off until I woke up midday.

But no more assignments, so yay, but it did mean this was started super late. It's something of a slower chapter, as I could have shown the Republic's retreat from Geonosis now that Palpatine manipulated things to allow them to pull back, but it wouldn't have meant much. Besides, our Republic and Jedi hadn't even seen the siblings and their allies, as those who did, Mundi's group, were massacred nearly to the last man.

Instead, we're going to explore more of the Separatist power structure, as we already know how…complicated it was, an intentional design flaw Dooku created to further his and Palpatine's agenda. Along with that, we have something of a surprise, which I won't say now, so enjoy the chapter.

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I had much more planned for this chapter, but I am far too drained to get it done. I'm struggling to stay awake right now, and I would like to try to get proper sleep so I'm not as tired tomorrow. But I'll leave it to you all to guess what Lelouch's plans are for the neutrals.