Good afternoon, Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers and enthusiasts. How are you doing on this good day of February 16, 2017? I am doing well because, as of a few hours ago, I have met with one of the managers of the thrift shop where I'm going to work, and we decided when I'm going to start my job training. It will be on my birthday, which is February 28, 2017, so at least I'll have a good dinner afterwards. Oh, and I have to tell you guys that I ordered a bunch of things for my birthday, and, in case you're wondering, they are Star Wars: Rebel Rising, Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills, Star Wars: Volume 5: Yoda's Secret War, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra: Volume 1, Transformers: Armada: The Complete Series, and Transformers: Cybertron: The Complete Series. I can't wait for each of those products to get here, as first off, I enjoyed both Armada and Cybertron, but not Energon, though, as I've mentioned at least once before. Also, I can't wait for more Star Wars books and comics, as I desperately need more Star Wars content, but I'm not willing to spend too much money on them, as I have other things that I need to save my money for. So, speaking of Star Wars, are you guys excited for more episodes of Star Wars Rebels this Saturday, and the return of what I consider to be the true Mandalorians (No Expanded Universe pun intended.), because I know that I am? Oh, and, I hope that you guys are excited for the hit video game, Mass Effect: Andromeda, that will come out in just thirty-three days, because I hope to get the game the day it comes out. Well, I guess that that's all that I wanted to talk about for today. So, without further ado, I give you the latest chapter of Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation! I hope that you like it.

(February 17, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. How are you doing on this warm afternoon? I am well, as I bought seven books from my local thrift shop that I volunteer at, which made my mom very angry, as I already have so many books to read as it is, and MandoCommander's latest fanfiction, Star Wars: Rebels: The Promised Day, was just updated by two chapters, which I will enjoy very soon. Oh, and, just one more day until "Legacy of Mandalore" becomes available on demand, and I am going to watch it as soon as I can, after I go work out at a local gym, because my mother signed the two of us up for one in order to get some exercise and lose some weight.

(8:26 PM Addendum.) Sorry for adding another addendum, but I have some news that cannot afford to wait. As I'm sure that most of you are aware of, Lucasfilm has announced the novel that will be released after Thrawn, and it is Star Wars: Inferno Squad. It details the First Galactic Empire's attempts to eradicate the remainder of Saw Gerrera's Partisans after the events of Rogue One, and it will be written by Christie Golden, who did three books in the hit series, Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi, as well as Star Wars: Dark Disciple. It is set to be released on July 25th, and I don't know about you guysm but that sounds like a great addition to anyone's collection, and I'm going to buy it, as I'm sure that I can integrate it into my head canon. Oh, and apparently, I am going hiking with my dad on Sunday, so I can cancel whatever plans I had for a good portion of the day. Well, at least I'll be getting some exercise, as well as spend some time with my old man. That's always a plus. Well, back to the story.

Twenty Minutes Later

As Wyyrlok arrived back at the dining hall, he could hear his master finish his sorrowful tale of how he became the Dread Lord of the Sith, as well as sense the sorrow and anguish that came off of most of the prisoners, minus Garazeb Orrelios and Jarael Chantique. He then heard the telepathic voice of his master, who said, Is everything prepared to enact the endgame, Wyyrlok?

Everything will be prepared within the next eighteen hours, Master. Aphra is ready with the Mindspears, and Nala Se's Iteration of Jaden Korr is complete, and Edaan Palpatine's Iteration will finish being grown by tomorrow. Wyyrlok mentally replied, expecting a severe lashing from his master.

Very good. Krayt said, surprising Wyyrlok, afterwards, Krayt continued, saying, I sense that you are troubled by something, my loyal servant. What is it?

I just do not see why you are revealing your past to the Jedi, Master. If the Shadow Alliance were to discover your true identity, then they could use the knowledge of your past accomplishments against you. Wyyrlok respectfully said as he prepared to sit back down at the dining table.

Do not worry, Wyyrlok. The Jedi will never know about my past, because I have your daughter preparing our Sith Sorcerers in order to mentally condition our guests' minds, thereby preventing them from speaking of the information to anyone, even to themselves. And, there is always a chance, however remote, that some of our prisoner's may join our side, and any help that we receive will be a boon for us when we conquer the galaxy. Krayt said in order to reassure his loyal right hand's troubled mind.

I see. Then I will trust in your judgment, as always, my master. Wyyrlok said, placated by his master's contingencies and schemes.

After Krayt nodded, both in acknowledgment of Wyyrlok's concession and of his presence, he concluded his tale, saying, "Once I escaped the Yuuzhan Vong's captivity, I came back to Korriban, where my path down the Dark Side truly began, and began to form the core of my Sith army. From there, I awaited the day that the One Sith could make our move and assault the galaxy, waiting out the rule of Darth Caedus, and the emergence of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, only making my order known to the Jedi Order when Abeloth became Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance on Coruscant, and I helped Luke Skywalker eliminate Abeloth in the realm known as Beyond Shadows."

"Damn that Vergere!" Edaan cursed out, much to everyone's, especially his wife, shock, as he never cursed anyone before, not even Natasi Daala and her Force-hating minions. After Edaan calmed down, he sensed Adari's confusion, and said to her, "Sorry, but Vergere was, along with the Sith Lady Lumiya, responsible for creating Darth Caedus during Jacen's time in captivity with the Yuuzhan Vong, which caused the deaths of so many good people on both sides of the Second Galactic Civil War. And, from what Krayt just said, she was an apprentice of Darth Sidious, so you'll have to forgive my outburst, no matter how good it might have felt."

"Uh… for all of us that can't use the Force, what's Beyond Shadows?" Zeb asked, as he was completely lost as to what Krayt was talking about, and wanted to avoid Edaan getting even angrier at anyone, as he knew how dangerous Edaan was when he let his emotions guide him.

"Yeah, I'm a bit lost myself, and I can use the Force." Seelah said in equal confusion.

"Beyond Shadows is a realm within the Force that a Force-sensitive can mentally travel to in order to contact the dead." Edaan, calming himself down in order to avoid another incident like the one on Mandalore before Natasi Daala invaded the planet academically said, which surprised everyone besides Akku, Adari, Jarael, and Jaden, as they knew of the realm, either from the Jedi Council, or Edaan's own admission of the place during the former three's journeys together, while Krayt just gave an approving nod.

"Precisely, young Jedi. And, that, to… how is it that the people of this generation say it, again… 'Put it in a nutshell', is how I became Darth Krayt." Krayt said.

As soon as Krayt stopped talking, Edaan cried out, "You still haven't told us why you are doing this. What's the point behind all of the proxies, the shadow hands, the needless deaths that are being caused by you and your minions? What's the point for causing so much strife and chaos across the galaxy?!"

"Because, Edaan Palpatine, I want what all of you want: An orderly galaxy. But no one, the Jedi, the Galactic Alliance, the Empire, not even the Mandalorians, have the strength of character to do what needs to be done in order to save it from itself. Look at the original Jedi Order and the Old and New Republics. If they were so righteous and powerful, then they should have survived the Clone War and Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, and emerged stronger from it. Instead, both organizations were brought down from within due to corruption, arrogance, and their own blind certainty, and so many innocent lives were lost due to their blindness." Krayt fervently declared, shocking everyone present with the passion that he put into his voice as he spoke.

After taking a full minute to realize just what it was that Krayt was fighting for, Edaan suddenly said, "Then come back to the Jedi Order, Hett." Upon hearing those words, Krayt, along with Wyyrlok and the rest of the present Sith, along with all of Edaan's loved ones and comrades, looked at him as if he had grown a second head. He then continued, saying, "We both want the same thing, a stable galaxy, we just disagree on how best to do it. I know that, deep down, you just want to do what you feel to be best for the galaxy."

After staring at Edaan full a full thirty seconds, Krayt disappointedly shook his head and said, "You truly are a Jedi through and through, Edaan Palpatine. How you managed to unite the galaxy against me, as well as outmaneuver me at every turn up until now, is beyond me."

"Because we're two sides of the same coin, Hett. We're both the scions of powerful Force-sensitives, the two of us were heroes to our respective Jedi Orders, and we each raised powerful armies to help accomplish our noble goals." Edaan insisted, not willing to give up what could very well be his only shot at getting through to the Dread Lord of the Sith.

"You naïve fool. Only a strong and firm hand can achieve order and stability across the galaxy. And, if the Jedi and their allies aren't going to take up the reins, then it falls upon the Sith to do so." Krayt angrily replied.

"But the Sith have been brought down time and time again by treachery and deceit. Look at the Brotherhood of the Sith, Darth Revan and Darth Ruin's Sith Empires, the Brotherhood of Darkness, and the Order of the Sith Lords, and you'll find a common theme: the Sith always betray each other in order to have all of the power. What's to stop your order from following the same fate?" Edaan calmly countered, remembering all of the knowledge that the Jedi Archives and his teachers, both alive and deceased, taught him.

"My Sith order does not seek power for power itself, but as a means to an end. We act as one body, and will work together to achieve my goals." Krayt rebutted.

"That sounds eerily similar to the Jedi Order, Hett. Perhaps we're not as different as I thought." Edaan said as if he were talking to himself.

Krayt, however, heard those words, and, rather than demean himself by explode in rage, he calmed himself, and suddenly said, "Do you know why the Jedi were unable to sense the Sith until Qui-Gon encountered them on Tatooine, Edaan Palpatine?"

After getting over his initial shock, and seeing that everyone else was in a similar state of surprise, Edaan said, "Just what kind of a question is that, Hett?"

"Just tell me what you know, Edaan." Krayt said in a tone that would brook no argument.

"Okay, then. Well, according to the records that Tionne Solusar and other archivists rediscovered, the Sith stayed far away from the Galactic Core for a time, and clung to the dark shadows of the galaxy's fringes, as well as Dark Side nexuses, and planets such as Ambria, as well as the moon of Jaguada. It was only until two hundred years before the Battle of Yavin that Darth Tenebrous's master decided to create a tear in the Force that the Jedi could sense, letting them know that the Sith had survived, but the Jedi, foolishly enough, dismissed the warning and instead focused on the Prophecy of the Chosen One." Edaan said, recalling what he remembered from his learnings.

"That is true enough, Edaan Palpatine. But are you aware that there is a Sith shrine underneath the Jedi Temple?" Krayt suddenly said, which flabbergasted all of the twelve prisoners, and left the other Sith present aghast at this revelation.

"What are you talking about, Hett?" Edaan numbly said after the initial shock wore off.

"So, you didn't know, then." Krayt smugly said. "Tell, me, Edaan, how many times did the SIth attack Coruscant?"

"At least twice, during the Great Hyperspace War, and the Sacking of Coruscant, Hett. What does that… no, no, no. It can't be." Edaan said in denial of what Krayt was inferring.

"What is he talking about, Edaan?" Jaden asked, confused beyond belief at what the Dread Lord of the Sith had just said.

"The darkness that I felt when I was in the Jedi Temple, and when I returned to find out the truth about Vestara's actions, I thought that it was a result of the battle that was fought there against Lord Nyax, as well as Operation: Knightfall. It also further explains why the Jedi couldn't sense the presence of Darths Sidious, Maul, and Plagueis when they were on Coruscant." Edaan said to himself, before he asked Krayt, "When was the Sith shrine built, Hett?"

"It was erected above a Force wellspring during the Sith Empire's invasion of Coruscant. The Jedi destroyed most of the shrine, and then built their temple above the ruins. However, what the Jedi didn't know was that a portion of the shrine, along with a massive trove of Sith holocrons and artifacts, survived the desecration, and slowly, over the centuries, wormed its way into the Jedi Temple's structure, aiding the Jedi's already deteriorating insight into the Force, contributing to the chaos of the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War, the Great Galactic War, the New Sith Wars, the Clone War, and the Second Galactic Civil War. So you see, young Jedi, the Sith have always had the advantage in our wars, and why your vaunted order's sight has been so poor on Coruscant."

Edaan had no words to say at this, as his mind was still processing the implications of what Darth Krayt had told him. Yes, the old Jedi Order grew arrogant in their power and certainty, and lost sight of truly serving the Force, but this new revelation changed everything, as it was if the Dark Side of the Force planned for the future wars between the Jedi and Sith, and placed a secret weapon within Coruscant to undermine the forces of the Light Side of the Force.

In order to keep Edaan from losing his mind at the new revelations, Sabine said, "Okay, if what you say is true, then why in the galaxy would you tell us about this, Hett? You know that as soon as the Shadow Alliance breaks us out of this mad prison, we'll tell them everything that we've learned about you and the Sith shrine."

"Because, Sabine Wren, I want you to understand why your cause, however admirable it may be, is pointless, as once the Jedi return to Coruscant, their sight will be blinded again, and the pointless cycle between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force will continue without end, killing trillions of people caught in the middle of our wars. And, more importantly, by the time that the next day is over, you will either be serving me, or you will be rotting in prison for the rest of your very short lives." Krayt menacingly said, causing Zeb, Dinua, and Mirta to gulp in nervousness in response to Krayt's not-so-subtle threat.

"We'll die before we join your mad cause, A'Sharad Hett." Akku vehemently said, surprising everyone with the level of emotion that he spoke with, as he was always the calm, cool, and collected type of Anzati and Mandalorian.

"What he said." Jarael said in concurrence with Akku before she continued, saying, "We've come too far to give in to the forces of darkness now, and we're as sure as hell not going to stop now."

Every other member of Edaan's strike force nodded in affirmation at Akku and Jarael's remarks, and they stood their ground in the face of such opposition, which astounded Edaan with how loyal his friends were loyal to him and his cause, and how he would have to thank them for their friendship when all of this was over.

"Well, you are all a disappointment, then. I admit that I admire your loyalty to one another, as well as the dedication that Edaan elicits from each of you, but I'm afraid that such blind idealism fails in the face of common sense. I suppose that we will have to do this the hard way, then." Krayt disappointedly said as he nodded to Wyyrlok, who then motioned for the Sith to take their prisoners back to their cells. As soon as the prisoners were out of hearing range, Krayt said to Wyyrlok, "Inform our Sith Sorcerers to prepare their rituals for locking the information in our prisoner's minds. I want it done by tomorrow's end."

"It will be done at once, my master." Wyyrlok dutifully said before his master got up from his chair.

But, before the Chagrian could leave the room, Krayt stopped him by saying, "There is one more loose end that must be attended to, Wyyrlok. Find and capture the Patrolian bounty hunter, the astromech droid, and the renegade tuk'ata hound that Edaan managed to turn to his cause that managed to escape capture. We cannot afford to have any other distractions, as even the smallest unknown variable could be the deciding factor between survival and death for the inevitable siege that he Jedi will soon inflict on us."

"It will be done at once, my master. I will lead the search parties myself, if you so desire." Wyyrlok loyally said, earning a pleased nod from Krayt, who then left the room to return to his private chambers, where a mediation chamber awaited him, so that he could focus his efforts in preparing for the coming war.

Meanwhile, Just Outside of Darth Krayt's Citadel

"Man, that place just spells 'doom and gloom.' Right, guys?" Robonino nonchalantly asked the adjacent astromech droid and tuk'ata hound as he observed the citadel that was guarded by at least ten Sith Lords, as well as twenty tuk'ata.

Chopper just beeped in affirmation, and displayed his electroshock prod in a desire to shock and kill any and all who came between him and his mission to save his last two remaining true friends in this mad galaxy, while Butch just looked on with amusement at the astromech droid's antics.

'Whoa! Easy there, Chopper." Robonino said in a calming tone before he continued, confidently saying, "I want to help the others out too, but going down there with all guns blazing isn't going to get us anything except a one-way ticket to the afterlife. No, what we need right now in order to get into this stronghold is stealth, and I think I have an idea on how to do it."

With that, Robonino explained to his last two free allies how they would infiltrate the Sith stronghold, and, after about thirty minutes of planning, the three fighters set to work on getting their compatriots out of prison.

And, that's a wrap on another filler chapter of my story. Sorry that there wasn't any action or suspense in it, but it will build up for more revelations and surprises along the way. Now, on to questions that you must have about my story. The idea for a Sith shrine below the Jedi Temple wasn't my idea, it was introduced into Disney canon by revered Star Wars author James Luceno in his novel Star Wars: Tarkin. I'm sure that some of you are understandably angry with me for including more of Disney's content, but it made sense to me that the Sith Shrine be included. No, it doesn't excuse the Old Jedi Order for their arrogance in the Rise of the Empire Era, but it played a crucial role in their downfall, as it helps better explain why so many of the Sith orders were unable to be found for so long over the millennia until they revealed themselves. Now, onto more pleasant matters. Did you guys see the latest Star Wars Rebels episode on demand yet, because it was awesome? I won't spoil too much for you guys, but I will say that I hope that Sabine returns to the Ghost crew in the Season Three finale, or I will be disappointed over having such a crucial character of the show be relegated to such a minor role. So, with this chapter finished, I have surpassed 120,000 words in this story alone, and I still have a ways to go until this story is done. And, I don't even want to think about how lone the final story will be. Oh, and Pepser, thank you for following my first story, and I hope that you enjoy what comes next, as I am sure that it will rock your world. Well, that's it for me for today. I hope to see all of you for my next chapter, as I'm sure that it will be great, even though I have no idea how it will end. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the expanded Universe!