Project Ares Gold Edition

Chapter 37 - Love and secrets

Sub-level 5 - Coruscant

By some miracle Captain Fordo's clearance codes were accepted and the Forward Unto Dawn was allowed through. Landing just below the surface, the two teams split off, with Kenobi's team heading for the Senate apartments and Blue Team heading towards the Jedi Temple. Blue Team definitely had the hardest part of the assignment, being tasked to infiltrate the Temple and gain access to the holocron vault. Afterwards, they would have to somehow make it over to the Senate building and hack into Palpatine's servers without being detected.

Chances were that Commander Fox was probably waiting at either location for them along with the full force of the Coruscant Guard. Making this mission even more challenging. Deciding that their best chances of success at either location was to split up. Chief along with Fives, Static and June would go to the Senate district while the rest were tasked with the Jedi Temple.

As Blue Team went their separate ways, the wished each other luck with full faith that the other side would succeed. Meanwhile; Kenobi, Tano and the 501st captain were already on a speeder making their way to the Senators' apartments where they hoped to find their 'big gun' in turning Anakin back to the light.

Senate Building - Coruscant

With June stationed on a nearby building providing overwatch, the other three made their way through the service hallways. Although it was a very tight fit for Chief, with his hulking frame barely making it through the narrow passages. Finally reaching their desired point, Chief split off from the group and headed for Palpatine's office while Fives and Static would go for the server room.

If there was any physical evidence of Palpatine conspiring against the Republic, it had to be in his office. Quickly drawing his pistol and stunning the two Coruscant Guard clones that were standing guard, 117 made his way into the Chancellor's office. Looking around for anything in the open, Chief was out of luck. Out of frustration, the spartan slammed his fist into the wall.

But to his surprise, it went right through with ease. Yes, he was strong but he had punched a granite wall art that should've easily withstood his blows. Looking into the hole, Chief found a collection of Sith artifacts that included an old Sith lightsaber that Chief didn't recognize, Count Dooku's Jedi and Sith lightsabers, along with a double bladed saber that closely resembled Mauls.

And although this wouldn't prove anything against Palpatine other than being a Sith Lord, which wasn't a crime according to Republic Law. However, these were still very valuable items that could be wielded by the Jedi back at the fleet. Clipping the lightsabers to his waist, Chief took a grenade and rigged it where it would arm and detonate the moment Palpatine opened the compartment. Finishing up his sweep of the room and coming across some highly encrypted communication transmissions in a secret compartment, Chief quickly downloaded the files to his suit and bailed out of the room, heading to the rendezvous location.

It wasn't long before Fives, June and Static joined him with good news. They had successfully hacked into the Chancellor's private server and although there were no ties linking him with the CIS, there were top secret military files that the Jedi were probably never even made aware of. Most of these were experimental prototypes and secret transactions between some of the largest military manufacturers. But unfortunately there was no time to review these files in the field as the rest of Blue Team came speeding towards them with the Coruscant Guard in hot pursuit.

Just as Chief and the others started laying down suppressive fire, the Forward Unto Dawn came charging in; blasting away with its two twin laser cannons while opening up the front ramp. As everyone ran aboard, Fives, Jesse and Thermos tossed as many smoke and flashbang grenades as they had.