Star Forge - 44 (Patreon)

The new batch of ten droids were waiting for us on the bridge. Five looked like humans I could pass on the street without a second glance while the other half were more mechanical. Stark and Cyberdyne worked together better than I had hoped. The robotic group had improved articulation with a sleek design that didn't look as clunky as the current generation. They would be perfect for infiltration and extra security. I wondered if I could transfer a member of the B-Squad into one of them. Those droids always seemed to have a bit more potential than cannon fodder.

Both squads were programmed with the skillset for every station for my ships supplied by the Warehouse. I had them each stake a spot at a station on the bridge to monitor the systems.

"What's the plan, Red?" Ahsoka asked as the ship connected to the local hyperspace lane.

I motioned at the holographic map hovering over the main console on the bridge. Carefully, I traced my find along the path that we were going to take.

"This route will take us quite a while to get to Coruscant," I answered. "We're going to get to work rather than just wait for the trip to end. The Warehouse has a few strategic connections for us to use."

Asajj perked up, "We get to look around the Warehouse?"

"Sure," I nodded. "There isn't much to it at the moment. Storage, a droid factory, a mansion, and some living quarters."

Asajj rolled her eyes, "Is that all?"

"I forgot the forge," I added. "Big stone doors, you can't miss them. You will boil alive if you go unprotected.

I led them through the Warehouse on a more detailed tour. Most of it was just pointing at something then telling them what it was. The tech was familiar enough to identify which meant he didn't have to spend too much time explaining everything. It was the mansion that took the longest. The kitchen and the library were the big-ticket items. Ahsoka was a bacon fiend. Not that I could blame her. This, of course, led to me making third breakfast with the entire spread. Toast with options of jam and butter, eggs done three ways, proper rather than that insulting Caf, hashbrowns, bacon, and sausage. It was only the fact that Asajj wasn't an obligate carnivore like Ahsoka that prevented a brawl. Do not get between a Togruta and her bacon.

The gear that had been damaged on Alderaan were back in working condition. I wasn't sure when the next time I would use the Warthog, but it was good to have. The rifle was back in perfect condition latched beside the front seat.

One pleasant surprise was that the comms worked in the Warehouse. Best of all, it connected to anywhere that had a doorway. It made keeping in touch with everyone a lot easier.

"Bo," I said over my comms.

A chime sounded as the message arrived.

"Red," She replied. "Are you in trouble?"

I let out a single laugh, "I don't only call you when I'm in trouble."

"Prove it," She challenged.

I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see it, "Are there any updates on the terra-formed patches?"

"Yes," Bo answered sounding as surprised as he was. "There was a small sandstorm after you left. The patches were completely untouched. It was a bit hotter inside, but you could see the line where the terra-formed area started." She paused. "People are getting really excited."

I sighed, "It sounds like the people of Tatooine knew about it before I did."

"The trials of an interesting life," Bo deadpanned. "What's your plan now?"

"I'm gathering some ships to transport half a million foundlings," I answered.

There was a long silent stretch.

"Red," Bo finally spoke. "What?"

"Half a million foundlings," I repeated. "The first complete batch of clones from Kamino. I need to get them off the planet before I start finding them a home." I paused. "Did I mention that about twenty thousand of them are toddlers?"

"Either you're the greatest Mand'alor in history or a complete moron," Bo muttered.

"Por que no los dos?" I asked.

"What?" She asked in reply. "What language was that? My translator didn't recognize it."

"Don't worry about it," I answered. "I need ships, support staff, and places to put them once they're ready. Do you have any contacts that would be interested in some foundlings?"

Bo let out a long sigh, "We're Mandalorians. Anyone that turns away a foundling isn't worthy to be listed among our people."

"You certainly have a way with words," I chuckled.

"I'll contact some people," Bo said after a moment. "Again."

"Thank you," I said. "Truly. Thank you."

"Don't get all squishy on me," Bo teased.

"Mand'alor the Squishy," I said. "I've heard worse."

Bo chuckled.

"We both have work to do," I said. "Keep me updated of your progress."

"Jor'lekir," She answered before cutting the connection.

I tapped the side of my helmet to signal the conversation was completed.

"We're heading to Mandalore," I said.

"Are you planning on invading the planet?" Ahsoka asked.

I shook my head, "No. We're going to create a few new towns. There is enough space for both people." I paused. "It might sound mad, but there are planets out there with more than one culture."

"You do realize that the habitable parts of the planet are already settled?" Ahsoka continued. "There is a reason why most people outside of the cities live in homesteads."

I nodded, "A squad of customized starfighters next to a village of wood cabins. I love that planet." I paused. "Carrie, progress update on the improved GECK?"

"Captain," She sounded out of breath. "This is amazing."

I waited for her to continue.

"Cyberdyne and the Stark Library work amazing together," Carrie explained. "Stark has an entire research division dedicated to humanitarian efforts and Cyberdyne has an extensive collection of information on how to kill a human."

I blinked at her statement, "How to kill a human? And that is helpful?"

"Yes!" Carrie nearly squeaked. "Between the two there are hundreds of articles on terraforming."

I couldn't help but smile imagining her expression, "How does that help the GECK project?"

"How does it…" Carrie muttered. "The original GECK was, to put it simply, magic. There are some notes about proper application of radiation, but it's all gibberish. Still, I can use it as reference to build our own version. I've already gone through twenty-eight iterations for various environments." Her voice reached a pitch that probably couldn't be replicated by human vocal cords. "Forget turning Tatooine into a habitable planet, we could turn it into a garden world."

I stared into the middle-distance for a long moment. We could turn Tatooine into a garden world. What other planets could we target? Mustafar? Could we transform it while retaining the mines and processing centers? There had to be dozens of barren planets, planetoids, and moons to convert. I could essentially create colonies in every system. That would definitely solve the issue of having enough space for all of the clones.

After they were scouted, terraformed, and settled. I shook my head. It would be a better plan to focus on one system rather than spreading out too much.

"Carrie," I said. "How many uninhabited planets and moons are in the Mandalore system?"

"Forty-seven," Carrie replied without waiting. "We can terraform ten in the next week and have them ready to settle in another five days. Galactic Standard. I have collated a list of potential options for you to look over."

I chuckled, "Good work. Keep that on the backburner. We have to settle in Mandalore before we expand. Do you have any sort of rest activity? A hobby or something?"

"Getting all of this research to fit together is my hobby," She replied. "It's like a multi-layer puzzle with shifting pieces. I love it."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said. "Don't forget to take breaks. I know you're an AI, but I don't want you to overwork yourself."

"Aw, you're so sweet, Kiskin," Carrie sounded actually touched. "I have enough processing power to easily run all of our current systems, my avatars, and the research projects. If I must, I can deactivate one of my avatars for extra space."

I nodded, "Ok, good. Prep four improved GECK. I need to study the landscape of Mandalore to pick a good spot."

"Will do, Captain," Carrie replied. "I'll let you know once the information is ready."

I needed some time to think. We were still in the Warehouse. Asajj and Ahsoka had turned their attention to the kitchen in the mansion. They had found some cookbooks and were in the process of translating them for local ingredients. I was not going to be the one to taste test whatever they made.

That reminded me, it had been a while since I'd spent time with Anakin. I would need to make sure I did after the business on Coruscant was handled. There was no way I was going to take him anywhere near Palpatine. I didn't think he could tempt Anakin this time, but he was still a slippery bastard.

I found the library after a little wondering around. There was a comfortable leather chair set as a reading nook. Who was I to turn down such a gift? I took a seat before scanning the room. The shelves were packed with books that I hadn't given attention. I could get a few of the new droids to get started working on it. They needed another name since they were too advanced to be counted among them. Synths could fit considering the I already had a connection to Fallout. It was a shame I didn't get access to the Institute to make my own.

My head dropped. Face-palming a Beskar helmet was a good way to hurt myself. Why did I need to make Synths when I had Cyberdyne and Stark Tech? Stark had the capability to create true AI, an actual artificial sentience rather than a learning machine or a set of logic switches. The terminators were incredibly advanced robots, but they were still just robots. They could solve complex problems as long as they were within their directive. Combining the bodies from Cyberdyne with an AI from Stark would create an artificial life form that the Institute could only dream about. The only thing I could come up with as a potential boon from the Institute was teleportation. It wasn't something I wanted to trust constructing with Fallout Tech. Their version didn't have the range that was worth the effort.

I didn't ask enough questions about the current batch of upgraded droids. Carrie didn't mention they were AI. She would have said something if that was the case. The orders would be the same. I needed an army of support staff to care for the influx of foundlings. The Kaminoans might be willing to negotiate for a couple batches of Ryett which would need even more staff. Preferably other Ryett to help them feel comfortable. The commandos were created by the Star Forge without memories or history. They were on the same level of Clones now that I thought about it.

Mandalorians, all of them. It was for the best to stay as close to the truth as possible. Our people were lost. A recent discovery allowed the Ryett to come back through cloning. Our history, culture, and homeworld had been lost to legend. The Mandalorians were their future. Within reason. Those that wanted to explore once they were old enough would be given the option. There was more to rebuilding the Mandalorians than rebuilding an army able to take on the Republic.

Was that was I planning?

Originally, I had wanted to get setup somewhere secure to ride out the Clone Wars and keep Anakin from going Vader having some adventures along the way. I couldn't let the plot stay on the rails if I could help it. Anakin didn't need to be a Jedi with the added benefit of the Queen back on her way before Maul could catch up. Then there was Naboo. How could I say no to that? Storming the palace to help the Queen re-take the throne. I don't think I could ever forgive myself for sitting out on that. Fighting Maul was a highlight of my new life even considering it cost me part of my arm. The cybernetics were amazing which made adjusting to it a breeze. Most of the time I forgot it was a replacement. After Naboo was Alderaan. At that point I was still a wandering mercenary.

When did I go from adventurer to warlord?

I think it was after meeting Bo. That sparked my interest in the greater Mandalorian plot. I had started on the path to Mand'alor the moment I challenged Vizsla. Here I was now trying to prepare for a potential war with the Republic. They would not be happy once I started settling on a cluster of previously uninhabitable moons and planets. The Clone Wars had been thoroughly derailed. Palpatine would be scrambling for an army. I could only hope that Qui-Gon had taken my warning to heart. The fact that he was still alive would alter the timeline in ways I couldn't imagine. Dooku originally lost faith in the Jedi after Qui-Gon died. How would that go now? Would he still leave? Who would Palpatine use as a figurehead now? What would losing the Trade Federation do to his plans?

A growing Mandalorian threat would be the perfect distraction. It would give Palpatine enough time to get a solid plan of action. He no doubt had at least four backup plans. They would still need time to get running.

I tapped my fingers along the edge of the chair. I needed a new to pick a direction. If I committed to being Mand'alor then I was going to have to focus on that before all else. Being the leader of an entire people wasn't a part-time job. I would need to arrange recruitment, training, housing, supplies, treaties, and trade agreements. Rebuilding Mandalorians to something beyond what they once were. I would make them the legends they were supposed to be not thugs in matching armor.

The sudden jump in numbers, thanks to the clones, wasn't going to help for a few years. The oldest among them were about thirteen physically with a lifetime of being a soldier crammed in their heads. I would have to ask when that started. Had the toddlers already gotten the download? Regardless, I would need to be careful not to gather too much power too quickly. I wasn't going to use them as soldiers until they could make that choice for themselves. The oldest among them would probably sign up once they had the option. They had started the physical portion of the training already. Thankfully, that also included the medic, admin, and support departments.

It was settled. I AM Mand'alor. I will restore my people. I will make them the legends I dreamed about. Eventually, I would become strong enough to challenge the Republic. It wouldn't be anytime soon, but it would happen as long as Palpatine was the Chancelor. I would need to gather allies along the way.

Accept Your Fate
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[Purchase Bookmarked Item?]

PURCHASE.

[Balance: 0 Forge Points]

The Mask of Mand'alor appeared in the air before me. It stayed hovering until I touched it. A block text scrolled from bottom to top in the famous crawl as I looked at it.

Mask of Mand'alor

The first Mand'alor was a Taung, who led his people and first developed the tenets that would go on to form the foundation of the Mandalorian people. This helm is the same one he wore. This relic has traditionally been held by subsequent Mand'alor and those who have not donned have generally been dismissed as pretenders.

If purchased here, it will grant you the aura of a general and a warrior king. So long as you wear it, it will amplify the gravity of your words, instill dread into your enemies, and bolster the morale and performance of your forces.

The mask was gold with partial webwork along the lower portion. Its visor portion was cut sharper than my own, practically a three-point star. I studied it for a long moment.

Slowly.

Reverently.

I placed the mask against my helmet. I ran my hand along the surface of my helmet only to find it had integrated perfectly. No seam or weld marked the edge where the mask ended and my helmet began. My vision didn't change. The visor was clearly smaller than my own. I winced when I realized that I wasn't literally looking through my visor. My helmet meant that my vision was nearly 360 degrees due to all of the tech. It was easy to forget that I was basically a walking starfighter with just as many systems.

"Mand'alor the Red," I said. "Sounds kind of ominous. I'll have to earn a better title."