Yo everybody! Got yet another new story in the works. This time something I've never done before a Star Wars story. Why? Mainly because recently gotten onto several Old Republic Beta Weekends which in turn has led me to start rereading the various Star Wars novels I have, including the New Jedi Order series. I had forgotten just how much I loved that series. And this is ultimately what has spawned from my mind as a result. So enjoy.
Oh and it's a working title at the moment as I just can't think of a better one. Any suggestions would be nice.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, the New Jedi Order or The Old Republic. I do however own my OCs.
Over twenty wars before the Battle of Yavin IV, during the heart of the Clone Wars a single event occurred that forever changed the course of the galaxy. On the Bright Jewel system, home of Ord Mantell a small fleet of vessels from the ancient Sith Empire appeared without warning, vessels that had not been seen in the galaxy for over three thousand years. Even more surprising for all those aboard the warships the Cold War between the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire was still reigning when they had entered hyperspace. Finding their empire long dead and the galaxy once again at war the Sith and their followers chose to strike up an alliance with one of the warring powers and surprisingly they chose their long hated enemies, the Republic and the Jedi Order. In exchange for aiding the Republic against the Confederation of Independent Systems the ancient Sith Worlds within the Stygian Caldera would be liberated and returned to them. Concerned that if they refused the Sith would join with the Separatists Chancellor Palpatine and Jedi reluctantly agreed if for no other reason than to keep watch over. And so for much of the war the Sith Empire fought heroically for their long hated enemies.
But in the end it all an act as the Jedi long suspected. As they fought together against the Separatists the Sith plotted and planned. From the very beginning they had doubted that their age old enemies would truly allow them to reclaim their ancestral domain so they in secret reached out to the leadership of the Separatists, forming a grand design to restore their empire. In the beginning their actions were hidden, inciting seemingly random rebellions within Republic and Separatist space, the assassination of various political leaders, and a dramatic increase in pirate activity along the major trade routes were just a few of their covert actions. But the truly most sinister part of their schemes was the subtle corruption a handful of Jedi Padawans and younger Jedi Knights, an act greatly aided by the bloody fighting of the Clone Wars. Some willingly joined the Sith towards the end of the war and the massacres that followed while others fell but hated the Sith as much as they hated the Separatists, either fleeing Republic Space entirely or dying at the hands of their corruptors while only a few fell spectacularly during war itself causing all manner of chaos before being cut down by their former masters.
By the final year of the war there could be no doubt among the Jedi that the Sith were planning on breaking their deal however they found themselves in a position where they could not openly act against them. For in eyes of the public the Sith had become heroes on par with the Jedi and indeed to the masses there seemed to be little difference between the Jedi and the Sith. Some even began to dispute the long history of the wars between the Republic and the Sith, claiming that what they knew was half-truths and lies concocted by the leaders of the Republic and the Jedi to make themselves look better and to hide their past crimes from the public. The Great Hyperspace War changed from an act of Sith aggression and conquest into a preemptive strike against those that were menacing and threatening their borders that ended in a brutal near total massacre of the Sith people by the Jedi and the Republic. The First and Second Great Galactic Wars became desperate bids to protect against the genocide which was that ultimately was the fate of the Second Sith Empire. It wasn't long before the Jedi realized that if they struck against the Sith before they revealed their true intensions to the galaxy it would greatly harm the morale of the Republic and likely spark an internal conflict they could ill afford at the moment. However that did not stop from taking more covert actions against the Sith in the midst of the war, disrupting some of their plans before they could come to pass.
Unfortunately it was only small components of a far greater design, the culmination of which could not be stopped by such small act. Ultimately the Sith plan was to shatter the central leadership Confederation of Independent Systems while tricking the masses and their lesser leaders into believing that the war could still be won and in the ensuing chaos reclaim the Stygian Caldera as well as the surrounding regions that had once been theirs. They hoped that by the time the Republic and Jedi had settled the former territories of the Separatists they would be sufficiently hidden and entrenched within Sith Space. However as masterful as their design was even they had not foreseen the Purge of the Jedi and the rise Palpatine's Galactic Empire. Yet at the same time it was quite possibly the greatest boon to their survival. Countless Outer Rim Territories that had once been a part of the Separatist were among the first targets of Palpatine's wrath allowing the Sith to reunite many back into an alliance against the Empire.
However they were merely pawns and tools for the Sith. Looting many of the systems of ships, resources and people they fled back to Sith Space, leaving most of them behind to fight bloody and ultimately unwinnable battles against the Imperials. Still it took over a decade before the Imperials had managed to instill order within the former Separatist Systems, allowing them to reach the edges of the Reborn Sith Empire. But when the Imperial Navy penetrated Sith Space they found the opposition far greater than what they had expected. The much smaller Sith Navy launched a deadly campaign of ambushes and hit-and-run tactics bolstered by formidable battle meditations, Sith Force illusions and other dark sorceries. Though the Imperials did manage to push into the heart of Sith, taking Korriban from the Sith they found that ultimately was what their enemies had wanted. For only viable route in and out of the Caldera was the Daragon Trail forcing the Imperial Fleet to travel along a single corridor while the Sith were able to attack along multiple vectors within their space, even allowing the Sith to temporally retake Korriban several times, cutting off Imperial battlegroups before devastating them. What should have been a quick victory for the Imperials became a long drawn out campaign with no end in sight. Even with Palpatine's right hand Darth Vader taking command of the situation they struggled to end the Sith and their Empire.
In the end the conflict was resolved not through war but rather negotiation. The Sith knew they could not hope to defeat the vast military machine that their rival controlled while Palpatine realized that it would take far more than military might to crush the ancient Sith than he could currently afford to spend. A non-aggression pact was signed between the empires barring both sides from entering the territory of the other. Though in reality it was largely to stop open conflict as espionage and proxy wars were rampant between the two powers, Imperial and Sith seeking a means by which to crush their rival. For Palpatine it was the creation of superweapons that could utterly crush the Sith Empire with minimal effort while the Sith would eventually find a potential ally that would be used to weaken and distract the Empire, the Rebel Alliance. Though the Sith Lords largely believed that the Rebellion would never truly be able to defeat Palpatine and his Empire they still secretly sent intelligence and materials through proxies and agents to them in hopes of forcing the Empire to waste resources in hunting the rebels down. When the Battle of Endor saw the deaths of Palpatine and Darth Vader the Sith Lords were truly stunned by the turn of events. A barely trained boy had defeated two powerful Sith Lords while a ragtag fleet had broken the back of the mighty Imperial warmachine.
And yet despite all the possibilities that moment presented to them, the Sith did nothing but watch and wait. They watched as the Imperials lost Coruscant to the Alliance. From the shadows they watched as the Galactic Empire crumbled day by day into a pale imitation of its former self while the New Republic rose and flourished. Unseen they watched as Luke Skywalker remade the Jedi Order as best he could, teaching them of the Force and training them to one day protect the Republic and its people. Quietly and largely without notice the Sith Empire slipped further and further into isolation, becoming forgotten by many and remembered by few mostly through the tales of vessels disappearing on the edge of their space. Now only Luke Skywalker and his Jedi Order still hold any concern over the long silent Sith Empire.
However a far greater threat has now, forcing them to break their long standing isolation from the galaxy at large. A threat that has emerged from beyond the edge of the galaxy itself, posed to destroy and enslave everything in its path…
Krayt, once known as the Jedi A'Sharad Hett was silent as he entered the chambers of the Dark Council ignoring the throbbing pain coursing through his body. Though the once blazing agony the Yuuzhan Vong implants had dulled since his escape much of the pain still remained. But he was stronger than the pain, far stronger than he had ever been before. The coral seeds like their alien creators would not break him. In time he would conquer the slowly growing implants within his flesh just he would one day rise above those he was about to speak before.
No sooner had Krayt passed beyond the chamber's threshold than the door closed behind him, stealing what little light there was within the large room. Undaunted by the complete and utter darkness around him he marched forward, willing his body to show no pain. Never would he reveal any weakness to his fellow Sith much less the thirteen Darths that sat upon the Dark Council, the thirteen Lords of the Empire. The thirteen who would one day be in front of all Sith as they bowed to him.
But any further thoughts were silenced as crimson light filled his eyes, blinding him for a moment. When the light faded and his vision returned Krayt found himself standing before a raised crescent shape platform that was nearly twice his height. Spaced evenly along the platform were thirteen thrones upon sat the most powerful Sith the galaxy. Clad in simple cloaks and robes, some had their hoods drawn up obscuring their features while others sat with their faces uncovered. However only seven were there in the flesh, the remaining six were but ghostly images.
Many years ago when the time-lost fleet first emerged from their failed hyperdrive experiment it was the six most powerful Sith that took control of the situation. It was they who carefully reached out to the Old Republic, it was they who ultimately retook the heart of what is and will always be Sith Space and they were ones who began to rebuild the Sith Empire. Naturally when they remade the Dark Council it was they who were the first to sit upon it. Two however had since fallen at the hands of their apprentices who now held their seats. And unlike the rest of the Council they had decided that only they were fit to lead the Sith into their eventual destiny of dominating the galaxy. To preserve their lives until they were ready to take what was their birthright each had hidden themselves within stasis tombs powered by an equal measure of ancient technology and dark sorcery. While their bodies slept in suspended animation their minds and spirits were free to move about and command the Empire.
All of them were fools, powerful but still fools none the less. The Sith were not the Jedi. They could not be led by a council, only one could lead the Sith to their destiny. Only a true Dark Lord could lead them. While many of their achievements had been great they were all ultimately undermined by their refusal to crown a new Emperor of the Sith. But that would not last forever. One day he would be the undisputed Dark Lord of the Sith and he would them all to their greatest triumph.
"Speak Krayt," the ghostly form of Darth Usirian ordered. "Tell us exactly what you encountered within the Unknown Regions."
"Yes tell us how gained an arm to replace the one Kenobi took from you all those years ago or how you gained all those boney spikes growing from your flesh," Darth Mahakalis added her tone nothing but mocking.
Krayt narrowly managed to suppress a snarl and instead knelt down on one knee. Of all the Sith Lords he hated the younger Mahakalis the most. While his reasons for hating her were many his plans for her were not. One day he would find her tomb and then she would share the same fate as all of Skywalker's children and grandchildren would, death.
"As you command my Lords," he spoke, keeping his voice neutral. He would not rise to Mahakalis's bait. Despite his hatred for her Krayt did acknowledge that she had earned her seat upon the Council through both cunning and strength, engineering her former master's downfall before killing him personally. However he could not afford to reveal too much to her or any of the others for that matter, not if he was to fulfill his destiny. Still he spoke of much of his encounter with Yuuzhan Vong, of their vessel constructed not of metal but grown from organic matter, of their utter hatred of all technology, their impeding invasion of the galaxy and most alarming of all their nonexistence within the Force. Every life form in the galaxy, every living creature from the Sith themselves to the lowliest of insects and microbes had a presence in the Force.
When Krayt had finished his tale low mummers had spread across many of the Sith Lords though he could hear none of the actual words being spoken. However he suspected that at least some were debating solely on whether or not his story was real or some plot being orchestrated by him or another Sith. In fact he doubted the Council would have had even seen were it not for the coral seed implants in his body. One of the spectural Lord rose from her throne. "As you can see my fellow Lords this is a truly grave matter," the so-called Pureblood Darth Arkhanius spoke raising her arms up. "Only fools would ignore the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong. We cannot sit by as they invade our galaxy."
"Let the New Republic and their Jedi deal with them," a blue-skinned Chagrian replied waving his hand dismissively. "They were capable enough to rid us of Palpatine."
"Open your eyes Wyyrlok," Darth Satross snapped his voice echoing through his mask. "These are not the Followers of Bane we're dealing with. These are abominations outside the Force itself. They must not be allowed to threaten our galaxy. We shall utterly annihilate them."
"Yes… Most troubling… No presence in the Force… What could this mean…" rasped the gaunt Darth Mortius.
Darth Haemon let out cackling laugh from beneath his hood. "Do they truly live outside the Force or are they as dead as the machines they hate? Do they truly understand that they are real abominations? Perhaps they realize this and utterly hate themselves for it," he spoke in his inane sing-song voice.
"What of this Vergere? What is she? Jedi? Sith?" the Assassin Mistress Darth Sicarius asked.
"She was Jedi and is Sith. A former disciple of Palpatine," Krayt answered.
Of course the truth of the matter was he didn't know what that creature was. Certainly she had been at one point a Jedi and later a Sith under Palpatine or at least one of his servants yet at the same time she was unlike any Sith or Jedi he had ever encountered. Perhaps her time with Yuuzhan Vong had changed her into something else or maybe she was far more devious than he was willing to admit. Besides it was through her that he had received his vision of the future, of a true united Sith. It was better that they knew as little of Vergere as possible.
"A strange one at that," the corpulent Lord Vorax added with a chuckled, his bloated flesh jiggling beneath his robes.
"No… not strange, interesting," Darth Usirian replied as he stroked one of his facial tendrils. "I encountered a Fosh-which I suspect she is, years and years ago. A cunning, manipulative little thing yet quite dangerous in his own way. This Vergere is no different. The only side she will be on is her own, not the Vong's and certainly not our own."
"Do you think she will lead the Yuuzhan Vong to attack us after they arrive?"
Usirian shrugged in response. "Perhaps. She is a disciple of Bane and Palpatine after all. Regardless both our order and military should be prepared all the same."
"You're overreaching Usirian," Darth Khsar, a longtime rival of the Pureblood bluntly stated. "We have yet to decide if we will even involve ourselves this affair much less mobilize our forces for war."
The facial tendrils of the ethereal Sith quivered slightly as a frown formed on his lips yet it was not he who responded to Khsar but rather Mahakalis. "And once again you demonstrate our stupidity and shortsightedness," she shot back. "What if the Yuuzhan Vong posses a vast and powerful military? What if they overpower the Republic while we sit back and watch? What is there to stop them from then turning warmachine on us?"
Khsar scowled, his eyes narrowing in fury and hatred. "You reek of fear little girl," the human Sith spat.
"Fear is not a weakness Khsar, succumbing to it is. It is fear that cautions us from acting out of haste. It is fear that has kept us alive all these years, fear of what Palpatine would do to us with his vast armies and superweapons, fear of what the New Republic would do if they viewed us as threat before we are ready," the younger Lord replied unaffected by his words. "All beings feel fear, only fools pretend not to. It is how we embrace and overcome fear that defines us."
The hooded Sith Lord let out a deep laugh that echoed through the chamber. "Once again you quote the pathetic beliefs of your dead master. All his teaching achieved for him was death."
Mahakalis glared back at the larger man, her eyes filled with hatred and fury just as his eyes were. If it wasn't for the fact that they were both merely Force projections and physical fighting in the Council Chambers Krayt was sure that they would attacked each right then and there. "And once again you show your true shortsightedness Khsar. My former master accepted his death and embraced it so I, his successor would surpass him. He was a true Sith, both in strength and philosophy unlike you. Through his actions and teachings he will live on while you will one day die on one of those bloody battlefields you love so much and ultimately forgotten in a few years."
This was the great failing of the Dark Council in Krayt's eyes. They were fractured, divided and always feuding with one another. As a whole their goals were expanding the Empire as well as bringing about the downfall of the Jedi and their Republic yet individually they refused to focus on anything beyond their individual agendas. The Empire needed unity or it would be doomed to fall yet again. Before his capture Krayt would not have cared in the slightest. Not any more though. His eyes were truly opened to what the Sith Empire needed, what the galaxy needed. And it was not what these thirteen so-called Sith Lords could offer.
Wyyrlok slammed his fist loudly upon the armrest of his throne, silencing the arguing pair. "Enough!" he bellowed. "This is neither the time nor place for your petty squabbles."
For a moment neither Khsar nor Mahakalis moved, their glaring eyes locked upon each out. In the end however they relented, settling down into their thrones. "As I was saying," Usirian continued with the distraction now ended. "We need to properly assess the Yuuzhan Vong threat and if need be act which is precisely why I propose we ready ourselves for war. That way we shall be prepared for however their invasion plays out."
"But it could be years, decades before they invade the galaxy," Darth Novarius pointed out, voicing his opinion for the first time during this meeting. "Why should we bother now when we cannot even see the full scope of the threat? For all you know these aliens could possess an insignificant military and the conflict lasting only a few months in the Outer Rim."
"Possible but unlikely," Sicarius answered. "Our allies among the Chiss have reported that their people have been encountering and fighting more and more Yuuzhan Vong forces. They will be coming soon. Maybe in a few years, maybe in a few months but they are coming none the less."
Of all the Lords, Sicarius was easily one of the most dangerous. Not because of personal abilities or power but because she was the Supreme Master of the Imperial Assassins Cult, an order of deadly killers both Sith and non-Sith alike. The Cult was originally formed during the early years of Palpatine's reign to aid the handful of Intelligence agents they had among their forces in their covert actions against the Galactic Empire. After the Battle of Endor the Cult had shifted gears, becoming both an internal police force to deal with rogue individuals within the Empire as well as part of their first shadowy line of defense against outside threats. Like with much of the Empire and its organizations the assassins were of supreme efficiency when it came to carrying out their tasks. And it was perhaps most fitting that their leader was not only the greatest of their number but also utterly ruthless and utterly loyal to the Empire. Of all the Lords she would be the first to bow to him after his ascension simply because he commanded the Empire and after that no one would dare oppose him.
"Quite right," Usirian added a smirk on his face as he interlocked his fingers. "Furthermore I propose that when the Yuuzhan Vong invade we let the New Republic wage the initial battles to properly gage the true danger they pose. If it appears they can handle the aliens we allow them to but if they cannot then our only option maybe to reveal ourselves and join the fighting directly."
For a brief yet utterly long moment everyone was silent before pandemonium broke out amongst much of the Council. Never since they signed the ceasefire treaty with Palpatine had they been openly on the galactic stage and that was the one thing that all the Sith had unanimously agreed upon. They were not ready to return. It would draw far too much attention. The Jedi would know their strength was growing, that they were readying themselves for the true war that would one day come. To even suggest such action had been unheard of. For Usirian, a founding member of the Council and the restored Empire to speak it was shocking.
"Madness! Complete and utter madness!"
"You'd destroy everything we've built on some alien war?"
"Your stasis sleep has clearly destroyed your mind!"
"He's not fit to be a Darth! Strip him of his title!"
The shouting grew and grew while the Pureblood Sith merely sat patiently among the few others not screaming. After several minutes of pointless screaming between the Council Arkhanius rose up from her throne and let out a deafening Force-powered howl that ended all other noise in the chamber, forcing those there physically to shield their ears. "Enough," she said when order was finally restored. "This is grave matter however I happen to agree with Usirian. The full extent of the Yuuzhan Vong must be assessed. If they are truly as dangerous as Krayt and our Chiss allies suggest then it would be utter stupidity not to act even if it risks exposing too much to the Jedi. Besides Skywalker's Jedi Order is but a fraction of our might, especially after this coming war depletes their already low numbers."
"I wouldn't mind meeting the son of Anakin Skywalker even if it means waking from my sleep," Mahakalis added with a dark chuckle. "There's just so I would love to give to Skywalker especially given that he robbed of my chance at vengeance against his father."
It was at that moment that it occurred to Krayt that this gathering was far more than just a discussion of the Yuuzhan Vong. Arkhanius, Usirian, Mahakalis and perhaps others on Council were plotting something, something truly significant. The question was who or what was the target of their plans? Skywalker and his Jedi? The New Republic? Or was it someone closer to home? Either way caution would necessary for the time being.
Darth Arkhanius turned to him, her ghostly eyes peering into him. "You are dismissed Krayt. And you will not breathe a word of what happened beyond these chambers until we have made our decision."
However she was not warning him against speaking of the Yuuzhan Vong but rather speaking of what they could possibly be planning. If word of their thoughts of moving into the open at this point in time was made public it would create chaos and pandemonium across the Empire and should that happen Arkhanius would see to it that he died swiftly. Though Krayt knew he could potentially use it for his own aims the risks at this moment were too great. "Of course Lord Arkhanius," he answered, bowing his head low. "I will not utter a word of this before you have made your decision."
'I will however make my own plans, gather my allies and when this upcoming war ends I will be sitting upon the Council. And in time you will all bow to me.'
So what do you think? I got the idea of the Hyperspace anomaly sending ships far into the future from the novel 'Crosscurrent' in which a Sith warship from the Great Hyperspace War ends up in the post-Yuuzhan Vong War era though is a bit different then how it was caused in that novel which will be fully explained down the road. And Star Wars: Legacy fans will obviously recognize Krayt and Wyyrlok the First and while you will see other members of the One Sith they will only be members that were alive during this time period so don't bother asking me if Talon or Maladi or Nihl or whoever will appear cause they won't. Also there will be a few Fallen Clone War era among their ranks as well. Won't say who yet but you'll see soon enough.
As to events beyond the NJO series and whether or not I'll write them, I can't say exactly. I do have ideas but I'm just not sure I'm gonna be in the mood to write them when this is over.
And as always I love to hear from you guys so please leave a review.