**Chapter 850: Hearts and Strategies**
**Scene 1: Anakin POV – The Negotiator Bridge**
Lee Noriega turned and pointed in the direction of the midshipman.
"Struder, get me some fresh data on the air wings. Immediately."
"Yes, ma'am!" the young girl saluted and quickly disappeared from sight.
"Are you chasing the youngsters, Line Captain?" General Anakin asked with a smile.
"Yes. I've recruited a couple of capable guys for headquarters. Just don't tell them that, or they'll get complacent," Sumeragi explained, waving her datapad.
"Silent as a grave," the Jedi confirmed.
The woman glanced at the device screen.
"So, what was I talking about… Yes, let's continue…"
Having refreshed myself, I quickly dressed and left the cabin.
For half an hour, the Chief of Staff had been reporting to Anakin on the state of affairs in the system army. The most important thing was not to slip into full-blown terminology, as it was beginning to sound overly dry and uninformative. Lee Noriega had noticed this only recently, and now she tried to express herself more clearly when the situation demanded it.
"We have staffed all ground units, as well as the 'naval infantry.'"
"Um, excuse me? Naval infantry?" Tactician asked.
"Yes, Commander. That's what we've come to call anti-boarding teams and the units permanently assigned to ships. Guards, patrols, punishment cell units… The term just came about naturally, as there's no official designation for such units."
Envandung-Estarhazi furrowed her brow and then nodded. "Not a bad definition. I'll have to remember it."
"Hutt be with them, with the terms. Specifics and only specifics," Vikt muttered.
Sumeragi continued.
"In short, we currently have a fully-fledged clone corps, consisting of eight legions and seven independent support regiments, plus one independent armored regiment. Each legion, including support units, numbers nine thousand seven hundred clones and a variety of combat vehicles including speeders and armored vehicles. The independent support regiments—engineer and medical—are the same strength as line infantry regiments. The armored regiment has an AC battalion, three battalions of VAT-1 repulsorlifts, and four thousand clone personnel. In addition we have completed staffing the support units. The three corps have been replenished with personnel and equipment. The replacements are undergoing training at training grounds under the supervision of veterans. Each corps has four brigades of ten thousand sentient beings and two support regiments. In addition, three independent armored regiments have been formed, each with an A5 battalion and three battalions of tracked vehicles."
"What about the naval infantry?" Anakin asked.
"So… At the moment we have twenty-two separate battalions and forty-eight separate companies, with a total of about twenty thousand fighters."
"What is the total number of ground forces?" Tactician asked.
"The total number—including auxiliary units—is forty-six thousand eighty clones, and one hundred forty-seven thousand eight hundred sixty-four non-clone soldiers. Two hundred thousand give or take."
Vikt thought for a couple of minutes and then asked, "Okay. What do you require of me at this point?"
"We need to sign a couple hundred documents. Mostly about reinforcements, but some have to do with supplies as well. The logistics guys have become completely insolent: since we're not participating in combat, they can delay deliveries and reduce quotas. But we need to have reserves for unforeseen situations! For fuel, ammunition, spare parts, and other consumables."
"Okay. I need an office. I'll look over the documents there."
"Yes, sir. I will arrange for that," the line captain replied.
"What's the news on the incoming aircraft?" Vikt asked.
Sumeragi glanced back. Fortunately, Struder was already looming behind her.
"Ma'am, here are the statistics you requested."
"So what are you standing there for? Report," the line captain muttered.
The briefing room aboard the *Negotiator I* was alive with quiet efficiency. Anakin Skywalker listened intently as Lee Noriega laid out the latest strength reports. The war on Cato Neimoidia had been grinding forward, but the reinforcements and organizational changes were paying dividends. The "naval infantry" designation for shipboard security and anti-boarding teams had a nice ring to it—practical and fitting for the expanding fleet.
Anakin rubbed his chin, absorbing the numbers. Two hundred thousand ground forces. It was a formidable force, but every loss hurt. The clones, the non-clone recruits, the support units—they were the backbone of the Republic's push. He signed the documents Lee placed before him, authorizing additional supplies and training rotations.
"Keep the pressure on logistics," Anakin said firmly. "We can't afford shortages when we push into the final cities."
Lee nodded. "Understood, General. The replacements are integrating well. Veterans are passing on hard-earned lessons."
The meeting continued for another hour, detailing air wing readiness, walker maintenance, and contingency plans for the next major assault. Anakin felt the weight of command, but also a quiet pride in the men and women under him. They were turning the tide.
**Scene 2: A Moment of Peace**
Exhaling sharply, Arden slowly sank onto Anakin's chest. Her body relaxed, and she practically melted into him. Time seemed to stand still.
"Don't move… I like listening to the sound of your heart," Lin stopped Skywalker, who tried to move. "Something new," Anakin said, hugging her around the waist. "You're right. I just don't want this moment to ever end."
"Well, we can always do it again," the man's palm ran along her back.
"That's the only consolation," Arden muttered, and then, unexpectedly for herself, asked, "What do you think… About me?"
This question had been tormenting the woman for a long time. Her relationship with Skywalker was… simple, but she increasingly felt like she wouldn't mind making it more complicated. But she didn't know how to approach it. And in a moment of relaxation, she blurted out her thoughts. She really needed to know how he felt about her—just as a woman he regularly slept with, or did she mean a little more to him?
"You're like the sea," Anakin said. "Unpredictable: calm, menacing, warm, boundless, beautiful… Merciless and soothing, life-giving and deadly. You beckon me with your depth. Sometimes I just want to dissolve in you, surrender to the will of the waves. And at the same time, I'm not sure I know how to swim…"
"Anakin. That's enough. Otherwise I'll think you've gone crazy," Lin interrupted. She'd heard enough.
"What do you mean? Don't you like compliments?"
"I like them, but they're not so unexpected."
The private quarters aboard the *Devastation* were quiet save for the soft sounds of their breathing. Arden Lyn—Lin—lay draped across Anakin's chest, her purple-tinged hair spilling over his shoulder. The ancient Jedi woman had become an unexpected anchor in his life amid the chaos of the Neimoidia campaign. Their intimacy was fierce and passionate, but moments like this—quiet, vulnerable—were becoming more frequent.
Anakin's fingers traced lazy patterns along her back, feeling the warmth of her skin. "I mean it, Arden. You're unlike anyone I've ever known. Strong. Ancient. You make me feel… alive in a way I haven't since the war began."
She lifted her head, golden eyes meeting his. "And you make an old soul feel young again. But I need to know… is this just comfort in wartime, or something more?"
Anakin pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. "It's more. Much more. When this offensive ends, I want you with me. Properly. No more hiding in cabins or stolen moments."
Arden's smile was small but genuine. "Then I'll hold you to that, Skywalker."
They lay together in comfortable silence, the war's distant thunder momentarily forgotten. For Anakin, the future suddenly felt a little brighter.