The lab hummed with the quiet whine of machines. Holographic charts floated in the air around Shepard, data streams cascading down like waterfalls of light.
Mortality rates. Neural degeneration. Organ collapse.
The dream of super-soldiers was proving more difficult than he'd hoped. Dozens of failed trials lay in his records
enhanced strength collapsing under strain, cloned test subjects breaking down before transformation completed.
Shepard's jaw tightened as he adjusted the equations again, recalibrating protein bonds and cell stabilizers."I won't give up," he muttered. "Not this time. The clones were a start. The data is improving. There's a way. There has to be."
The com-unit on his desk buzzed.
"My lord," came the voice of a council aide. "A Republic ambassador has arrived. Escorted by Jedi."
Shepard's eyes narrowed. So, the galaxy was finally turning its gaze toward Mandalore.
The ambassador was a tall man draped in fine blue and silver robes, his tone polite but measured. At his side stood Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, calm and watchful, and a younger, sharp-eyed Padawan: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
They were greeted in the great hall of the Fett stronghold, Mandalorians in gleaming MJOLNIR armor standing guard. Shepard descended the steps slowly, his presence commanding, his armor polished but not ornate.
"Ambassador. Masters of the Jedi," Shepard greeted, voice steady. "Mandalore welcomes you."
The ambassador inclined his head. "We thank you for receiving us. The Republic has taken notice of your world. In recent years, Mandalore has… transformed. What was once a scarred wasteland now prospers. We see cities rising, agriculture thriving, and ships in your skies. The Senate wishes to know your intentions."
Qui-Gon's eyes never left Shepard. Obi-Wan's gaze drifted, cataloging every detail: the banners, the armed guards, the quiet pride of the people.
"And what does the Republic wish of us?" Shepard asked plainly.
The ambassador's smile was practiced. "We wish for Mandalore to join the Republic. To share in trade, defense, and unity. Neutrality in these times is… a dangerous path. Surely your people would prosper more under the protection of the Republic."
Shepard's voice hardened."Mandalore has known war and famine. We have rebuilt ourselves with our own hands. We will not trade one master for another. We will remain neutral. Our focus is trade, not politics."
A tense silence followed.
Qui-Gon inclined his head slightly. "A wise choice, if it is truly yours to make."
Shepard's gaze flicked to him. "It is. And it will remain so."
Later, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan walked the streets of Keldabe under light escort.
They saw children laughing, running between markets heavy with food. Warriors in gleaming armor teaching apprentices the blade at training squares. Families dining openly, with no fear of hunger. Farmers arriving from Concordia with carts overflowing with produce.
It was not the Mandalore of violence and famine the Jedi had expected. It was something else. Something stronger.
Obi-Wan leaned toward his master. "This is… remarkable. I was told Mandalore was broken, divided. But this -this feels like peace."
Qui-Gon's eyes softened, but his tone remained careful. "Peace, yes. But built on strength. Their leader has given them vision. That kind of unity does not come without cost."
Obi-Wan frowned. "Do you think he is dangerous?"
Qui-Gon's gaze drifted to the fortress on the horizon. "Not yet. But the Force moves strangely around him. He is not of the dark, nor the light. He is… apart."
On Coruscant, the Jedi Council chamber filled with quiet voices as the report was delivered.
Obi-Wan described the thriving cities. Qui-Gon spoke of a leader both pragmatic and enigmatic. The ambassador relayed Shepard's firm refusal to join the Republic.
The Council listened.
"Strength, he has," Mace Windu said darkly. "And unity. That combination is often a prelude to ambition."
"Ambition, yes," Ki-Adi-Mundi added. "But not yet aggression. If Mandalore remains neutral, they are no threat."
"Neutral, he claims," Windu pressed. "But his people are armed. His cities are fortified. And they follow him with devotion. A single word from Shepard could turn them from neutral to hostile."
All eyes turned to Master Yoda, who had remained silent, his eyes closed in deep thought. Finally, he spoke.
"A threat, he is not. Vigilant, we must remain. Watch him, we will. For in shadows, even peace may turn."
The Council nodded. The matter was tabled for now.
But in the heart of the Republic, the name Shepard Fett was spoken, and it would not be forgotten.