Ralan hauled up hard on his clawcraft's pilot yoke before two red lasers nearly hit the backside of his starfighter from behind. He then threw his fighter into a loop so that he ended up behind his attacker and blew the opposing clawcraft into nothingness with two well-placed lasers of his own. Next, Ralan swerved his craft starboard and once again blasted a Killik-manned clawcraft into oblivion with two more lasers before flying through the briefly-flaming wreckage to blow up two more, though all it took was one laser to each of their engines to end them.
An hour had passed since the battle over Tenupe began, and for all the losses that the Chiss fleet incurred - having lost a quarter of your forces was nothing to hand wave at even if you were a politician concerned only with statistics - the Killiks had lost more than double their number in combat so far. Obviously, the odds were not going in their favor, and Ralan couldn't help but smile at that little factoid as he strafed a total of five more Killik-manned clawcraft, blowing each and every one of them in turn with at least two lasers to the cockpits.
"I wonder how these bugs managed to take Admiral Ar'alani's fleet back at Reonoq," Brilla - the female Chiss pilot who was part of Ralan's trio in this battle - openly declared in the channel shared between them.
Before Ralan could tell Brilla to cut the chatter and refocus her efforts on the battle, just as he did for Yeraq earlier, he suddenly screamed in agony as his mind was almost instantly assaulted by some kind of powerful pressure. Abruptly, his clawcraft veered out of control and he, Yeraq, and Brilla all collided with each other, ending their lives simultaneously in one grand blast.
~o~
On the surface of Tenupe, within the base that once belonged to the Chiss, the one that could be called the ruler of Thuruht, ThurSolo, sat in meditation on the floor of the base's hangar bay alone. With intense concentration, she was commencing the next move in Thuruht's plan of galactic domination.
When she had first focused her efforts against the Chiss back in the Reo system, it had been done with the entirety of Thuruht supporting her. But now that they had lost more than could be acceptable here in this one battle, a change of tactics was in order, obviously. And it was needed even if the entire nest was unaware of her actions right now.
The Killiks needed support, and they would not get it if they could not at least try to turn their enemies to their side.
After all, galactic domination was meaningless if not everyone was on your side.
.
About ten minutes later, all remaining Chiss in the former battlefield that was the Tenupe system were under the hive mind of Thuruht. Hostilities ceased almost immediately between the Ascendancy and Killik forces as ThurSolo managed to telepathically inform her insectoid brethren that their enemies, at least in the system, were all on their side now. All of Thuruht regretted that, when ThurSolo reached out to touch the minds of the Chiss, some of them died in the process. Nevertheless, as the now-combined forces of the Killiks and Chiss returned to their respective Star Destroyers, they all turned their capital vessels to leave the planet behind via hyperspace.
Next stop, Csilla, Thuruht and its new Chiss Joiners all thought. Objective: Destroy the Chiss Ascendancy from within.
.
The newest Masters to the New Jedi Order - Jaden Korr, Tahiri Veila, Zekk, Lowbacca, Tesar Sebatyne, and Tekli - all stepped into the Council room in Shedu Maad's Jedi Temple where their six veteran counterparts waited in a semicircle. At the head of the circle was Saba Sebatyne, now formal Grand Master of the Order, and to her left were Cilghal, Kam, and Tionne Solusar respectively while on her right were Barratk'l and Kenth Hamner. His presence didn't surprise the newcomer Masters as they were briefed ahead of time of Hamner's nature of being from an alternate reality somehow.
Wordlessly, the six new Masters took their seats. Jaden sat directly opposite to Saba, and Tahiri and Zekk sat to his left respectively while Lowbacca, Tesar, and Tekli sat to his right, completing the circle around the Council table.
"Now that everyone iz here," Saba said, "let's get down to business.
"When the survivors from the Battle of Reonoq, such az myself and Master Barratk'l, departed the Reo system, no doubt we left the Killikz at the mercy of the Chisz Ascendancy. By now, there iz no doubt that the battle is over, and it is most likely that the nezt of Thuruht has lozt, perhaps even exterminated for good measure on the part of the Chisz. Even so, we have already dizpatched Jedi Knight Seff Hellin to investigate the system, and he should be there within a few hourz to give the Council a report.
"The issue here does not lie with the Killikz. What does matter to the Order right now iz our relations with the Azcendancy, especially that Admiral Ar'alani herself declared war on the Jedi for interfering at Reonoq. Unfortunately, given the Order's current limitations in resources in the long term, we cannot afford a full-zcale war with the Ascendancy. I am open to any zuggestions as to how we should resolve our conflict with he Ascendancy."
"Perhaps we should attempt peace with them," Kenth Hamner offered.
Every single Master looked at him in askance.
"I don't suppose anyone has any better ideas?" Hamner asked snidely, feeling as unwelcome now as he did when his own Council was going agaist him back in his home reality.
"It could be the best possibility, after all," Cilghal reluctantly agreed. She then focused her attention on Saba. "After all, Master Sebatyne, you yourself just stated that we're too limited on resources to pursue war with the Ascendancy. And we can't look to the Galactic Alliance for assistance, as not only have we been outright exiled from the government, but I somehow doubt the Alliance would risk another war with the Ascendancy anyway, especially since the Chiss are so far beyond their borders."
"Do we really need to look to the Alliance for support?" Tahiri piped in. "We have the Hapes Consortium supporting us. I'm sure Tenel Ka won't mind sparing us a fleet or two-"
"Even the Queen Mother haz her limits in power, Master Veila," Saba interrupted. "Her open support for the Order by allowing us to live here on Shedu Maad is a strain against the anti-Jedi sentiment that still pervades the Consortium. Azking her to support uz in a war against the Azcendancy would be a breaking point for her power baze, as it nearly was when she was first asked to lend a fleet on behalf of the Jedi." She regarded Tahiri sharply, reminding her of the time when she and the rest of the new Masters, with the exception of Jaden, had helped the Killiks against the Ascendancy during the Qoribu crisis.
"What about the Imperial Remnant then?" Tahiri followed up, almost in defiance of Saba's reminder.
Saba sat back in her seat in contemplation for a moment. "It'z possible," she said. "Would Head of State Reige be so willing to lend support against the Ascendancy?"
"The Empire and the Ascendancy have been on good terms for many years, especially with the Fel dynasty acting as a strong bridge between them," Hamner said. "I somehow doubt that Reige would want to compromise the relations."
"So what are you saying, Master Hamner?" Barratk'l asked. "We should look weak before the Ascendancy and bow to their every whim, especially whenever they want to exterminate a species?"
"I think it's safe to say we already are weak, Barratk'l," Hamner said. "If we attempt war in our current state, and with our significant losses, not only will we lose, but we'll look foolish for the very attempt."
Silence permeated the moments that followed Hamner's words before it was announced by Kam, "I'm afraid you're right, Kenth."
"But Barratk'l is right, too," Saba said almost too quickly. "We can't juzt lay back and allow the Ascendancy have their way with us."
"So what do you propose, Master Sebatyne," Hamner asked as if it were a challenge.
"Outright war with the Ascendancy is foolish indeed, Kenth," Saba prefaced. "But even with our limited numbers and resources, we can still beat the Ascendancy."
"How?" Hamner asked.
"The zame way we beat the Lost Tribe of the Sith."
