Good afternoon, everyone! How are you holding up on this cold, rainy day of Friday, January 4, 2019? I'm doing all right, as I volunteered ay my help center for about three hours before having a delicious pizza lunch. I'm about to publish Chapter 48 after the revised draft that Squasher and JSailer made are fully approved, and then I'll be able to focus all of my attention on Chapter 49. So, a lot happened in the last chapter, and there will be several deaths in this chapter (I think that you can guess who will die in this chapter), along with plenty of events that move the plot forward. I think that I'll have Vega and Elain meet A'denn in this chapter, but I'll need to think on it a bit first. So, I'm almost at 600 pages in this story on Microsoft Word, and I've still got a ways to go before this story is done. Oh, and I've got to work tomorrow from 5:00 PM to around 10:30 that night, and I hope that it's a shift that goes well, because I don't want to get in any more trouble at work. Well, I'd better get to work on the chapter, as I've nearly written 50 chapters for this story so far, and what I've written makes me so proud. May God bless us all in this New Year. Oh, before I forget, DC premieres Young Justice: Outsiders today on their new streaming service. I really, REALLY, wish that I could watch it right now, but I won't get their streaming service. I'll just have to wait until it comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD. I desperately hope that it comes out by the end of the year, and that Disney and Lucasfilm can take a page from DC's on Young Justice's Revival on the Star Wars Expanded Universe. A man can hope.
(Sunday, January 6, 2019 Addendum.) Hey, everyone. What's going on with all of you on this Sunday? I'm a bit sick, and am resting to recover from my head cold. Sorry, I wasn't able to write much yesterday, but I had to work and rest, and those take precedence over writing. Speaking of taking precedence, I wanted to let all of you know that, from March 2 to March 9, 2019, I'll be in Mississippi on a school trip, which is during my Spring Break, unfortunately. I honestly didn't see that coming, but I hope that it is a good learning experience. Well, I'd better get to work on this chapter, as I want to write at least a thousand words before I go to sleep tonight. Wish me luck, everyone.
Onboard the Zeta-Class Shuttle Marauder
"It's obviously a trap, right?" Boc twitchingly asked his two fellow Inquisitors at Lord Vader's orders to revert to realspace. "If we know that it's a trap, then why in the name of the Dark Side are we going to walk right into it?!"
"Come on, Boc? What happened to your lust for battle and mayhem?" Daiela, the Zeltron member of the Inquisitor team, lustily told her lover while emitting her species' pheremonal abilities to entice Boc to come to her way of thinking. "Between the three of us and the clones, we can take down Vader in his starfighter, and earn glory from the Emperor for dealing with his renegade apprentice."
"It matters not." Maw snapped at the two younger Inquisitors before cautiously saying,
"If we don't want to lose Skywalker, and answer to the Emperor for this colossal failure, then we play his game for now. If it comes down to a fight, then we enlist the Clones' help in destroying him, but pray that it doesn't come to that. We all remember the stories about the traitor's prowess as a pilot from the Clone War, right?"
Managing a pathetic nod of concurrence in response to recalling how Vader, even as Anakin Sywalker, outclassed every pilot in the Republic and Imperial Navy with his years of destroying any and all opposition, the two lovers ceased their pointless bickering, and primed the shuttle's weapon systems for their one chance to take out Vader.
"All right. Exiting hyperspace in five… four… three... two!" Maw counted down before the shuttle shook from the abrupt stop in the Expansion Region's Corsin System.
Noticing the shuttle's proximity to the only planet in the system, Boc blew a sigh of relief before tensing up at not sensing any other Imperials in the vicinity, "Hey. Where's Vader?"
"Hold on. Scanning the system…" Immediately activating the ship's thrusters, Maw warned, "He's coming out of hyperspace right behind us!"
Moving out of Anakin's path, Maw sensed the regret-filled presence of the Chosen One revert to realspace, immediately firing its lasers at the Zeta-class Shuttle.
Barreling away to avoid all but a few grazing shots, the impact from the attack caused the shuttle to vibrate a minute amount.
Hearing the Jedi Knight's voice come through the speakers, Anakin imploringly warned the three Dark Jedi, "I will give you three a single chance to surrender. Defect with me to rejoin the Jedi, or just desert the Empire like Sarcev and his team, I do not care. Just let me go in peace."
Sensing the two teams of commandos approach their position, Maw sneered, "Like Daiela and I'd ever go back to being Jedi after the power that we now possess, Skywalker. I don't know what Tau and his lackeys are offering you to betray the Empire, but you were an idiot for buying into whatever poodoo they're offering."
"They are offering me my children," Anakin growled through the intercom, "the chance to be a father… and you will not keep me from them. Leave now, or you will die along with your Emperor. You have fifteen seconds to comply."
Closing the transmission, Maw found himself unable to fully comprehend Anakin's admission of having children as the two Raider-class Corvettes arrived near their position, and the Indomitable hailed everyone on an open-channel frequency.
"Did we arrive in time to save your shebs?" Scorch joked with the three Jedi hunters.
"Enough with the Mando'a, and get to blasting." Boc impatiently ordered the Clone Commando, his face contorted in an eager grin for combat and death, with his fanged and yellowing teeth visible.
"Hey, they asked for it." Wrecker enthusiastically complied from his team's corvette before boasting, "Nice knowing you guys!"
"Wait, what?" Boc confusingly demanded before the Indomitable and Corsair launched an ion cannon and turbolaser barrage, eating away at the Marauder's shields and blowing off the shuttle's left wing, causing the shuttle to uncontrollably spiral away to the planet.
"Get us out of here!" Daiela terrifyingly shouted to Maw, her previous confidence evaporated in the face of certain death.
"I've already set a distress signal to the garrison on Corsin, but I can't do anything else until I reset the ship's stabilizers!" Maw retorted to the Zeltron, berating himself for not anticipating the treachery of the eight clones.
Meanwhile, Onboard the Raider-class Corvette Corsair
"Well, looks like we nicked them pretty good." Hunter satisfyingly told Anakin as he observed the Inquisitor's shuttle began to slow down from the damage.
Eager to please Wrecker, and deal more damage to the Empire, Hunter informed his former Jedi General, "All right, boss. We'll finish off the Red Blades, and head to the Shadow Alliance's rendezvous point."
"Negative, Hunter. We need to get going now before the Imperials on Corsin respond to their distress signal. Besides, even alive, the Emperor will do far worse to them than we ever could."
"Exactly. Now, let's get moving." Boss told the highly genetically modified Clone Troopers.
Not long after the argument ended, the TIE Advanced x1 and two corvettes began their next hyperspace jump, leaving three stranded Inquisitors to ponder their fate once Sidious learnt of their incompetence.
Meanwhile, On Taris
Within the Upper City
The Syn family had yet to arrive at the rendezvous point, and the extraction team had begun to fear the worse for them. Embo and Sintas were beginning to consider cutting their losses before it was too late to retreat.
[You want me to sweep the perimeter again, Sintas? We might have missed them last time.] Embo hopefully suggested, though he doubted his own words.
Not willing to abandon a family to the Empire's death squads without giving her all in trying to rescue them, the Kiffar nodded in approval before her comlink went off.
"Sintas, I've got them in my sights. They're just entering Section Eight." Hudu Shiv, a former member of Death Watch and member of Boba Fett's syndicate, told the team leader, making her breath in relief.
"Good. Any sign of pursuit?"
"Negative. Looks like we got here just in time, I… wait." Hudu hesitated, before warning, "Stang! Looks like two bogies tailing them. Must be the first of Isard's agents."
"All right. Once you get a clear shot at the enemy, take it. We'll alert Senator Pamlo's agents, and Embo and I'll join you at once." Sintas ordered the Mandalorian, before she contacted Able Mallory, quickly telling him, "Get the ship ready for takeoff. We're gonna be making a hot getaway."
Closing the comlink, Sintas nodded to Embo, and the two bounty hunters hurried to Sector Eight while warning their backup about the inevitable ambush.
Five Minutes Later
Temia led her family through the cramped alleyways of the Upper City, avoiding the Imperial patrols that had a warrant out for their arrest.
The youngest grandchild stumbled after tripping on a pile of refuse, only to see a shadow hover over him, blaster ready to kill the first of the Syn family.
Before the child could scream in terror, a sniper shot rang out, hitting the Defel right in the head, leaving a smoldering corpse to crumble to the ground.
Turning to hear Delia unleash a horrified shriek, the eight other Syns hurried to scoop up the girl, only to find a thin human woman emerge from the shadows with a disruptor rifle aimed at the rooftops.
"You're about to face justice for Peccati Syn's crimes." The woman smugly gloated before aiming at the hidden Mandalorian, and taking fire. Hitting only the roof of the transparisteel building, the woman found herself confounded before she heard the faint shift of a vibro-dagger from behind her.
Swirling out of the way, she saw the Mandalorian aim for her head. Were it not for the swivel, the swiftness of the attack only grazed her cheek, causing a trail of blood to gush down from her cut. Acting fast before the Imperial Intelligence's backup arrived, Hudu aimed his right wrist gauntlet at the woman, and shot a poison dart into her neck.
The doomed agent quickly pricked the dart off of her neck, but she found the kouhuns' toxins quickly shutting down her nervous system, and killing the imperial in a matter of moments with a silent gasp.
Horrified at the woman's brutal death, the nine Syns slowly backed away from the bounty hunter before he nonchalantly spoke, "Unless you want to stay stranded on would-be Coruscant, with no way to reach Vice Commodore Syn before getting killed by the Empire, then please, go ahead and flee."
Stopping dead in their tracks, Temia's husband, Connor, suspiciously asked, "You here to get us to him? I would have thought that…"
"What? A Jedi would have come to rescue you?" Hudu joked around, before seriously saying, "They're all tied up right now with other operations, so you've got us lowly bounty hunters. Now, let's get going before-"
Interrupting Hudu's orders, Sintas and Embo jumped down from an adjacent rooftop, shocking the Syns', while Hudu rolled his eyes at their constant need for demonstrating their acrobatic abilities.
"Did you guys have to come in like that?"
[It's more fun that way.] Embo simply responded, before comming Able, [Packages are secure. We'll be at your location in about ten minutes.]
"Understood. You guys better double-time it though. We've got Customs reexamining our transponder codes, and I don't know how long our staff can stall them. Mallory, out." Able warned the nonhuman bounty hunter.
[Time to go. Hudu and our backup team will cover the rear while we get you guys out of here. You'll be reunited with Peccati soon enough.] Embo reassured the Syn family.
With Sintas and Embo leading the way, and Hudu covering the group's retreat from the back, the twelve-man group quickly fled the alleys to head to the nearby spaceport.
Forty Minutes Later
In Hyperspace, En Route to Varon
Onboard the Thalassa
"You're certain that my family's safe, Mrs. Fett?" Peccati impatiently demanded of Sintas.
"For the last time, Vice Commodore, your family's safe and sound with us, and en route to Varon to rendezvous with everyone." Sintas calmly replied, not at all annoyed for the ex-Imperial's concern for his family.
"Good. I'll visit them once we reach Varon. Syn, out." Peccati closed the transmission, praising whatever gods were out there that his family was safe from the Imperials' reach.
Meanwhile, Onboard the Tenacious
Within the Tenacious' Medical Wing
"He's coming." Vega tensely told his siblings while he fidgeted in his seat, growing increasingly fearful at seeing A'denn after their last encounter.
"You sure you guys want to do this?" Mysta concernedly asked Elain and Vega. "I don't want you guys to rush this meeting. We can wait until we reach Varon."
"No. We need to face our demons on A'denn, especially since we're going to be fighting on the same side." Vega resolved, gripping his sister's hand in moral support. "Besides, we've got Gabriel here in case he tries anything."
"All right. Just let me know if things get too uncomfortable, and I'll ask him to leave." Mysta offered his two siblings, ignoring the Jedi Knight's terrible joke.
Less than a minute later, the door opened up to show the bane of the Ryal family enter the room.
A'denn, allowing the door to close behind him, formed an awkward smile in an effort to break the tension between him, Gabriel, and the two younger Ryals.
Nervously shaking from his fears, A'denn asked Mysta, "You doing okay, Mysta? I heard that Barr really did a number on you before you killed him."
"I'll live." Mysta evasively answered before smirking and proudly saying, "Guess we both have some battle scars from that maniac Barr."
Chuckling at Mysta's admirable attempts at banter, A'denn replied in complete seriousness, "At least you managed to kill him where I couldn't. That's one less lethal servant that the Emperor has at his disposal. But, I did hear that Sarcev, N-K, and Kravous fled the battle with a few Stormtroopers. Hope that this doesn't cause problems down the line for us."
"Well, it's all in Iluvatar's hands now." Vega squeakily spoke up, embarrassed at his pathetic interjection into the conversation.
Turning to face Vega, A'denn shamefully wringed his hands, remembering the horrified scream of the youngest Ryal when he was dragged away from the carnage the Mandalorian inflicted on the family.
Before the older human could say anything, Vega beat him to it, "Mysta told us how you changed your ways after you found out the truth about… that contract."
Meekly smiling, he continued to speak, "He also told us how you broke down in front of him onboard the Hound, and how you found forgiveness for your transgressions against us."
"Yeah. I…" A'den began to shed tears from the guilt that he carried for so many years, "I'm so sorry for everything that I did to you guys. I-I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I want to try and make amends, even if it takes me the rest of my life."
"I don't know if I can ever forgive your actions against us, A'denn." Elain tensely spoke up, "You left us orphans and caused us to scatter to the four winds for years before we were reunited."
Before A'denn could respond, Elain continued, growing increasingly agitated while she spoke, "Yes, I may have found a new family, but it isn't the same! You may have Mysta's forgiveness, but you don't have mine, A'denn of Mandalore."
"I… I understand, Elain." A'denn sorrowfully answered, understanding the woman's pain and hatred against him before he turned to leave.
Before the Mandalorian could exit the room, Gabriel stopped him, "Wait."
Turning to face Elain, he imploringly told her, "Elain, I know that he did unspeakable things against you guys, but he's been wracked with guilt over his sins for years, and trying to find the ones who ordered the hit on your family. That's gotta count for something, right?"
When Elain didn't respond to her husband's words, Gabriel continued, "I want you to look at him, closely."
Reluctantly complying with Gabriel's request, Elain examined the mercenary. What she saw was the face of a broken soul, desperately trying to atone for his crimes. Yes, the man was guilty for he had done, but Elain didn't quite know what to do about it.
"A'denn," she sighed, "I don't think I'll ever forgive you. Not really. You took something from me that can never be replaced. But," she shook her head, "you saved my brother's life, and out of all the places in the universe you could've gone, you came here. I… I don't know what to make of it."
A'denn sighed, closing his eyes as he spoke, "I don't expect your forgiveness. Hell, I was surprised with Mysta's forgiveness, and I know I can't take back what I did. All I can do is do what I can to make it right, and I've been doing that hunting down the demagolka fuckers that hired me."
Vega did a double take, "Where did you learn that word?"
"What word?"
"Fuckers."
"Um, the strange blonde haired woman?"
"Oh hell, it's spreading. It's supposed to be my curse word alone!"
"Well, you don't exactly have the monopoly on curses, Vega," Mysta grinned, "Besides, it's a good curse."
"Then I need to start that monopoly," Vega grumbled as Elain shook her head.
"Children, try to stop such foul language from spreading," she then turned back to A'denn, "Look, A'denn, I can see you are sorry for what you've done. It's just… this will take me time."
"I understand," A'denn nodded, "and I'll take what I can get," he then turned back to Mysta, "How long will it take for you to get back to full strength?"
"At least a month. Getting a lightsaber to the gut isn't a picnic." Mysta answered, before telling his guests, "Do you guys mind if I get some rest? I need to get back to peak condition as soon a possible if I'm gonna help you guys bring down the Empire."
Smiling at Mysta's professionalism, his siblings and brother-in-law nodded in understanding, while A'denn asked, "Actually, you mind if I speak to Mysta for a few minutes? I want to bring him up to speed on certain things after we left Hoth."
"Hold on I didn't say my piece on the matter." Vega objected. A'denn looked at him expectantly, and Vega took in a deep breath and began, "That day really fucked with my head, to the point I still have nightmares to this day. I still see what you did to my family, remember their screams and…" he shook his head and stared into the man's eyes.
"But as I look at you now, I don't see the murderer who assumed he was being just. I see the man who saved my brothers life, and kicked that petulant child Barr's ass in more ways than one. I see a man struggling to find redemption, to atone for what he's done, and well, if Ventis can find redemption, even though he was possessed by that demon, Gallius? I can say that I will give you the benefit of the doubt."
"Thank you," A'denn nodded with a small smile, "wait, Ventis and Gallius?"
"I'll explain later," Mysta replied, "though you wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Yes, if I may."
Elain was suspicious about this, but held her bitter comments to her, instead saying, "Five minutes, then he gets some rest. I'll be waiting outside the room to ensure Mysta gets his sleep afterwards."
After Elain left the room, A'denn told Mysta, "We've all heard plenty of crazy intel from Iridonia. A former Jedi Council member, a pro-Jedi historian, their family, were found there, and are being extracted. But, that's not the craziest thing, if you can believe that."
"Like what?" Mysta challengingly asked A'denn.
"Like Vader joining the Shadow Alliance, along with him destroying a classified Imperial shipyard, and bringing two of the best squads of Clone Commandos with him to us." A'denn quickly replied, which made Mysta go slack jawed.
"You're kidding, right?" Mysta deadpanned asked. "Why would Vader join us after all the efforts he's made to destroy us?"
"I wish that I were kidding, Mysta. As for Vader's reasoning, we'll find out soon enough."
"Do Vega and the others know?"
"Yeah. Every high-ranking Shadow Alliance member knows of this. We're all rendezvousing at our most secure stronghold in the Unknown Regions."
"I expect a lot of backlash to come from this latest defection." Mysta grimly, and insightfully commented.
"Well, we'll need every able-bodied fighter for the wars ahead." A'denn countered. "I'd better leave you to rest, Mysta. Get better soon, because we'll need all of the help that we can get before the year's over."
As A'denn prepared to leave the room, Mysta stopped him, "A'denn. Thank you for… well, being willing to help my family out wherever."
"I owe all of you my life for giving me a second chance in life. I intend to repay the debt, many times over." A'denn resolved, "now, before your sister kicks me out, explain Gallius and Ventis to me."
Four Hours Later
In Hyperspace
20 Hours From Varon
Onboard the Gilded Star
"Congratulations. It's a girl." One of the medics in Kota's militia told Mira, who immediately gave the crying newborn girl to the Zabrak female, with a beaming Eeth and Ragdon beside her. After two minutes, the medical officer clamped the umbilical cord before cutting it, before then drying the baby, wrapping her in a blanket and handing her to her joyous mother.
Celeste, who assisted her fellow woman through her childbirth, smiled in joy for the family who had to flee the known galaxy to escape Sidious. "What are you going to name your daughter, Mira?"
"We already chose a name for her." Mira looked at Eeth before she continued, "She'll be named after a great Jedi Knight that you might be familiar with, Celeste. Her name is Meetra Koth, and she's going to grow up to become a great Jedi, just like her father."
Remembering the woman who would become the Jedi Exile before she saved the galaxy from the Sith Triumvirate, Celeste nodded in approval.
Turning to the medic, Celeste advised him, "We'd better give Mira some time to rest."
Letting Mira fall asleep in order to recover from her long laborious period, Eeth gently took Meetra out of her hands, and placed her in her crib after putting her to sleep.
Once he gave his wife a gentle kiss on her forehead, Eeth and Ragdon exited the room, and headed to the CR90's bridge where the rest of the Jedi were convening, and were in contact with their other teams, along with Master Kenobi.
Obi-Wan had just heard the disbelieving news about Anakin's return, and he found himself speechless while tears of joy came down his face.
"He's back. I-I never thought that I'd live to see this day." Obi-Wan numbly said.
Turning to face Tau and Ahsoka, he said in utter gratitude, "Thank you, both of you. You saved my brother from an eternity of darkness. When will he arrive to our territory?"
"He'll be joining us at Varon in a few days, and he wants to see Luke, so we'd better inform the Mallory's of their incoming guest." Tau informed the bearded Jedi. He then added, "Oh, and we need to get Senator Organa to safety, because Anakin wants to see Leia as well."
"Agreed." Rahm concurred, eager to get Bail and Garm Bel Iblis to their safe worlds and join their rapidly expanding alliance.
"Also…" Tau hesitated, wondering if it was too soon to make this decision, before cautiously adding, "I believe, after we complete the interrogation and trial of Tarkin, and rescue Senators Bonteri and Mothma, we should take the opportunity to announce the Declaration of a New Republic."
"Are you sure we're not accelerating our plans too quickly, Tau? We may have won many decisive victories against Sidious, but this war has only begun. Plus, a majority of the galaxy doesn't hold fond memories of the Old Republic from its graft and corruption." An'ya cautioned the Jedi Knight.
"Perhaps," Tau conceded, "However, if we remain a loose confederation for too long, there's an equal possibility that the galaxy will view us as a resurrected CIS, and that will be even worse for our image. We need to legitimize ourselves soon if we're going to rally more systems and armies to our cause."
"And, just how would we organize this New Republic?" Eeth curiously inquired, wondering what measures Tau would take in attempting to prevent his government from succumbing to debauchery.
"Well, just to name two examples, since we're at war, the Senate's powers will have to be curtailed a reasonable amount in order to prevent gridlock. Second, we'll have a High Council to coordinate our government's efforts." Tau explained, with the second reference confusing many of the Jedi.
"A 'High Council'? You mean like a Jedi Council of some sort, Tau?" Quinlan questioned.
"Yes and no, Master Vos." Tau began to clarify, "It'll be a twelve-body board that will be comprised of six Jedi and six high-ranking government officials, and will handle the most important matters of the New Republic, its duties, and the war effort. It's the same type of body that helped my Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance defeat the Yuuzhan Vong after the New Republic fell, so it'll be symbolic in more ways than one."
"If the Galactic Alliance won that war, and succeeded your New Republic, then why don't we just call it that?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Because I was outvoted in that little matter." Tau grumbled, much to his fiancé's amusement.
"Hmm. That would keep many of our detractors from assuming that the Jedi would be trying to grab power, but I don't like the idea of sharing power with politicians." Rahm distastefully commented.
"I understand your doubts, Master Kota. But you, more than any Jedi here, aside from Masters Hett and Vos, understand that compromises have to be made in matters of war. At least this way, we can shape the war effort, and curtail the excesses of the government." Tau advised the grizzled Jedi Master.
"Then we'd better get to work if this New Republic is going to succeed." Eeth answered, much to everyone's surprise.
"Eeth, I wasn't going to ask you to join this fight. You've got a family to take care of." Tau protested.
"I know. But you guys rescued my family and I from the Empire, so I owe you all a debt, and I always pay my debts. Besides, there are many ways that I can assist your government besides fighting."
"Well, we can discuss those later. Right now, you need to be there for your wife and daughter." Tau finished before saying, "Well this has been a very beneficial week, what, with all of the allies that we acquired in the battles. Let's just hope that we can prepare for the next phase of the war, because my ancestor won't let these defeats lie without a fight. Iluvatar watch over you all."
Meanwhile, In Hyperspace
Onboard the Lambda-class Shuttle Emperor's Vengeance
71 Hours From Iridonia
"You, all of you, have failed me utterly. I cannot even find it within me to laugh at the magnitude of your failure." Sidious growled out in response to the failures now being reported to him.
"I know, my liege." Maw despairingly agreed, knowing how he and his fellow Inquisitors deserved death for such a monumental failure.
"You are all very fortunate that I am going to need every soldier and leader I have for the war to come, or I would crush your skulls right now with the Force for your disaster. Procure a shuttle from the command center, and return to Imperial Center. I will think up a suitable punishment for all three of you by the time you return."
Closing the transmission, the Dark Lord of the Sith contacted his new apprentice, appraising him of the latest string of failures from his weaker subordinates.
"This is most problematic, my master." Bahl'al answered after listening intently to his master's information.
"I trust that you and the Padawan have made it to the Tython System unhindered?"
"We have. I have chosen the stronghold of Belia Darzu to house Ekria, and I may have excellent news for your plans." Bahl'al confidently proclaimed.
Smiling at his apprentice's enthusiasm, Sidious nodded for him to continue, "The Dark Side of the Force is just as strong here as it is with you, my master. I believe that this world would be a fertile place for you to conduct your more esoteric experiments."
"In addition, the system has an untapped wealth of minerals, resources, and, perhaps, even hidden secrets that the ancient Jedi left behind in their original vaults. Perhaps, this system can serve as a fortress for you to build a force powerful enough to crush all of your enemies once it is ready."
Smiling at his apprentice's initiative and ingenuity, Sidious answered, "I will prepare to divert the necessary resources to begin development of these facilities. You will be in charge of the security, my pupil."
"Thank you, my master. And, I am ready to reveal my Sith name to you." Bahl'al declared. "I am Darth Bahl'al, just as Darth Bane chose his own name."
Pleased by his apprentice's confidence, Sidious nodded in understanding, and closed the channel, now feeling more confident of his Grand Plan coming to fruition.
Well, that ends another chapter of my story. I know that it didn't have much action, but it set the stage for a lot of plot building and politics, which will hopefully be a blast. So, how are you doing on Monday, January 7, 2019? I'm doing all right, aside from my head cold now, but it should be gone soon. In other news, I've almost finished Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan, and it's been amazing! I also have school in three days, which means that I'll be writing a bit less from then on. Sorry to say that, but school and work has to come first. Oh, and I've learned about a good Christian forum on this site titled "The Gathering Place", and I've already introduced myself to everyone there, as it asks of new guests. Finally, I've now surpassed 600 pages in this story, which far surpasses my previous story in length, which makes me so proud. Well, I'd better get this chapter ready for publishing in the next couple of days, as I want it done before Thursday. May the Force and Iluvatar be with you all in this New Year, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
