When they arrived at Karn'erath the Jedi found that, true to his word, Kyrr Esch had acted quickly and decisively. The Alliance had sent not just a medical team but an entire task force. Two corvettes, two frigates, and one medical ship hung over the planet, all of them overshadowed by a three-kilometer-long Mon Calamari battle cruiser. Like most of its kind its smooth hull was dotted with organic-looking weapons blisters but it also sported a pair of spherical gravity well projectors artfully swelled from either wing. Clearly, they hadn't come to take risks.

"We're being hailed," Jade reported and glanced at the text-readout on the comm console. "They're identify themselves as Mon Melora. They say they've been expecting us."

"Good to hear," muttered Ayen Qemar from the pilot's seat. They'd taken the Jade Shadow out into the Unknown Regions and Jade had agreed to let Qemar fly her grandparents' vessel without much prodding. The Nautolan woman had been the one to see Jodram's capture by the Sith and had agreed to undertake a second mission to hunt Abeloth. Jade admired her bravery, but as they drew close to their destination her unease had started to show.

Jade glanced at the comm readout again. "They say they've lit a beacon on the surface for us to follow. Supposed to be directly beneath Mon Melora. Do you have it?"

Qemar looked at her own sensors. "I see it. Taking us down."

As Shadow began to dive toward the planet Jade looked at the console one last time. "They also say we've got a personal welcome extended from Colonel Stefan Horn."

That got a roar of approval from the back of the cabin. Jade looked over her shoulder to see Lowbacca blocking the door with two-and-a-half meters of brown robes and shaggy ginger fur. Also in the cockpit, strapped into their seats, were Master Tekli and the young human woman Valiss. Ohali Soroc waited with the Mortis dagger and the rest of the Jedi team in Shadow's main hold.

"I'm glad to see we're welcome," Jade said as he turned her attention back out the viewport. The planet swelled to fill their vision and it looked to her like a normal enough world, with forests and mountains and plains and oceans. As they got closer she made out the gray of cities and Shadow dove toward the heart of one such sprawl.

"Is this the city you came to before?" Tekli asked Valiss.

The blonde woman shook her head and said, "This one's different, but it looks the same."

"Abandoned," Jade observed as she watched the empty streets and lightless towers.

Valiss nodded and said nothing. She, like Qemar emanated stronger anxiety than the rest. With Allana back on Ossus, Rollra and Master Qel dead, Valiss was the only member of the team who'd been to the Erath homeworld before.

"Getting close to the beacon," Qemar announced as she circled Shadow low over the city. "Looks like they've set up in a clearing."

"A public park?" Jade asked as she spotted a rectangular patch of dried grass, maybe three square kilometers, surrounded by rusting cityscape.

Lowbacca trilled that it looked exactly so. As they swooped close Jade could see a dozen boxy Alliance-model shuttles had set down on the fields. Living bodies dotted the park as well and must have numbered in the hundreds. Surely, Jade though, they couldn't all be Alliance medics.

The comm console lit up with another hail, this one a live audio link. Jade tapped the connection on and said, "This is the Jedi team aboard Jade Shadow."

"Welcome, Masters Jedi," a male voice said. "Is the Grand Master aboard?"

Lowbacca roared a greeting that carried from the back of the cabin.

The man chuckled. "I'm glad to hear it. We've got a place for you to set down."

"I see it," Qemar announced, and turned on Shadow's repulsors. "Setting down now."

As they dropped onto the field Jade saw, to her mild surprise, that none of the figures were wearing airproof suits. There were dozens of beings in the white Alliance medical tunics; they didn't seem to be wearing even breather masks.

"I'm not seeing anyone in biohazard gear," Jade said. "Can we get confirmation that it's okay to step out without it?"

"That's correct. I'll explain once you come out."

Despite the assurances, Jade felt a little on edge after they lowered Jade Shadow's landing ramp and began descending to the field. Some Jedi, including Soroc, remained aboard the ship, but others went out to meet the Alliance medics, including Jade, Lowbacca, Qemar and Valiss. Tekli led a team of five Jedi healers and the Chandra-Fan, aged and diminutive, moved at the fore of the group in a small personal repulsor-scooter.

Most of the Alliance staff were medics in white, but the man who came to greet them wore military blue. It was clearly no accident that Kyrr Esch had sent Colonel Stefan Horn as part of this mission. While had hadn't been born with Force-sensitivity his father and grandfather had both been knights, and according to Allana he'd been a reliable friend of the Order.

After shaking hands with Jade, Tekli, and Lowbacca, Colonel Horn said, "As you can see, we've been hard at work."

Horn led them across the open field. Alliance medics were outnumbered by hundreds of Erath, most of whom waited with surprising patience on spread-out tarpaulins as they were ministered to. As they started walking amongst the crowds Lowbacca asked how long ago they'd arrived.

"Almost two days before you did," Horn said.

"It seems like your people are making fast work," Valiss observed. "How do you know we can't be harmed?"

"Because the disease is genetically tailored to infect Erath," Horn said. "It was the first thing our medics figured out. We're on the lookout for mutations, obviously, but the virus only seems to activate when it encounters a genetic block that's unique to that species."

"Totally unique?" asked Qemar.

"That's what the medics say. The Erath are from a corner of the galaxy we've had almost no contact with and their genome is radically different from any humanoid species in the Alliance."

Lowbacca suggested that the virus had been specifically tailored to infect Erath and only Erath.

"That's definitely possible," Horn said. "We have medicine that can deflate the symptoms. It's what we've been giving them here, and we've deployed similar medical setups at the other population centers, but there's sure to be many more across the planet, in the villages and wilderness. Right now we're just trying to ease suffering. Because of the strange virus and Erath genetics it's going to take our scientists time to cook up an actual cure."

"It's a fatal disease though, isn't it?" asked Valiss.

"It is. Based on the number of survivors we've found in the cities, compared to estimates of original population, it's safe the say the plague already killed around ninety percent of this planet's inhabitants." The statistic was staggering enough. Hesitantly, aware of how bad the blow already sounded, Horn added, "The disease works very slowly. Most linger on for months, even years before dying."

"It's hideous," Tekli said.

Lowbacca growled that it was punishment of the most malicious kind. Punishment that she was clearly feeding off of.

Horn stopped and faced them. "I'm sorry, my Shyriiwook was never perfect, but do you know who did this to these people?"

The Wookiee gave a noncommittal growl. Allana had told Esch about Abeloth but clearly Esch hadn't told anyone else, which was surely intentionally and probably for the best. Still, Colonel Horn was a Jedi's son. He deserved the know the danger, and his knowing might even help them.

"We believe the disease was inflicted on the Erath by the leader of the raiders who'd been attacking Imperial Space," Tekli said. "Have they ones you've spoken with mentioned their former leaders?"

"Yes. A king and queen." Horn's eyes narrowed with suspicion. He knew Jedi obfuscation when he saw it.

"Those are the same being in two bodies," Jade told him. "You know her as Abeloth."

Horn's face went slack with shock. He even turned away from them, breathed out deep and spat a curse, before composing himself. With dread he asked, "Do you know she's back?"

"We know," Qemar said knowingly. "We need to find her."

Horn planted his hands on his hips, breathed out again, and looked like he wanted to swear some more. Instead he said, "I wish they'd told me this before they sent me out here. They should have told me the danger."

"I'm sure they're trying to keep panic from spreading," Jade said.

"The last time that…. Thing was around she drove my father mad. She had him and my aunt thinking their loved ones- my grandparents- were imposters and tried to kill them."

Lowbacca roared, mournfully, that he remembered it well.

"I know. I'm sorry, Master… I just wish I could have been more prepared."

"We killed two or her bodies at Sevok-358," Jade told him. "The raiders seemed to break and scatter after that. Have you seen any sign they've reformed?"

"No. No, I haven't."

"Have you seen anything that might hint where she's gone?" asked Valiss.

"Have you encountered any Erath besides the ones on the planet?" Jade said with an added nudge of urgency in the Force. On the way here she and Lowbacca had discussed the thing that weighed on her even more than Abeloth. Jodram was still alive in the clutches of the Sith. If they'd taken him back to their hiding place in Hapes or elsewhere he'd be impossible to find, but according to Qemar he'd been taken aboard one of the Erath ships fleeing Sevok-358. Finding where those loyal Erath had gone was her best chance of finding her husband.

Horn didn't need the nudge. "Actually, yes. I was going to tell you. About six hours after we arrived in-system a shuttle of unknown design appeared and tried to land. When we attempted contact it tried to flee. We sent a flight of tri-wings to intercept and capture it."

"Were there Erath aboard?"

"Yes. We have them in custody aboard Mon Melora. These ones are extremely uncooperative but aren't displaying any symptoms of the disease."

"That sounds like the ones from the flagship," Qemar said. "I wonder why they came back here."

"Must have been homesick," Valiss grunted. "Or maybe their navcomps got fried."

"But they'd risk infection with the disease."

"Would they?" Tekli asked. "Perhaps they've been provided with an antidote for the virus."

"Our medics thoughts of that," Horn supplied. "They took samples and are analyzing them now, but there's no initial sign of it."

Lowbacca roared that the disease wasn't just punishment; it was to ensure that the ones who remained loyal to Abeloth would stay loyal, for they had no place else to go.

"Colonel," Jade said, "I think it's imperative we speak to these prisoners right away."

"Yes, I imagined you would." Horn looked around the park. "As you can see, we've got our teams fully deployed here, and in the other cities. However-"

"I will stay here with most of my healers," Tekli said. "We'll work with your medics and see if we can't find a cure for this disease together. Until then, we'll use the Force to relieve as much suffering as we can."

"I'm truly grateful, Master," Horn said.

"I'd like to get up there and talk to those prisoners as soon as possible, Colonel," Jade said. "We understand if you have other responsibilities."

"No, I think our medics have the situation well in hand here. They're the technical experts, I'm just a soldier." He looked at Jade Shadow, then at her. "Your father's ship, isn't it?"

"My grandmother's, if you go back far enough."

The colonel smiled a little. "In that case, I'm going to respectfully request you loan me a ride."

-{}-

Initial attempts to probe the mind of his prisoner confirmed what Darth Terrid already suspected. Jodram Tainer had grown greatly in the Force since they'd last met. But then, so had he.

The application of Force lightning did some good. Jodram could do nothing but struggle against his bonds. He tried to push back with the Force but Terrid overwhelmed him, drawing on his own deep well of anger as he'd been taught. The sizzling energy hadn't done permanent damage to the Jedi and had weakened his defenses, allowing the Sith to sense the truth to the questions he asked.

He learned quickly that there was little to know. The Jedi had realized Abeloth as their quarry only at Sevok-358. As the monstrosity herself, Jodram only knew the stories he'd been told as an apprentice, just like Terrid. As a prisoner he was next to worthless; why Darth Avanc had insisted on keeping him alive, Terrid couldn't fathom.

As he stood in front of his prisoner, still bound upright by the wrists and ankles the bulkhead, now slumped from exhaustion and pain, Terrid found himself wishing Avanc had never given that order. During his first talk with Jodram he'd allowed himself to be made weak by the memory of old friendship. Now, with Jodram wounded and at his mercy, he felt a surge of disgust for the human, and for the empathy he'd allowed himself to feel just hours ago.

It would be so easy to kill him; a thrust of the lightsaber, a twist of the neck. Jodram was bound and exhausted, unable to resist. If Terrid killed him then all that nagging memory would be gone forever. It would be like stepping through a door and closing it behind him, more firmly than any other door he'd shut since entering the path of the Sith.

Avanc would be displeased, but, he thought, Avanc would get over it.

He looked down at Jodram, at the vulnerable back of his head and neck, and let one hand rest on the hilt of his lightsaber. No, he thought; something like this, something so personal, cried out to be done by hand.

Then, head still bent, Jodram rasped, "Why haven't you killed me yet?"

Surprise jarred Terrid. He steadied himself with a palm against his weapon's cold hard comfort. "Do you think I mean to kill you?"

"I think you don't. Otherwise you'd have done it already."

"And why would I want you alive?"

"You don't. I can feel that." With a groan, Jodram raised his head so he could look into his captor's red eyes. "So why don't you kill me?"

"Are you asking to die?"

"I'm not afraid."

He said it firmly, and when Terrid reached out with the Force he found it was true. The Jedi really had steeled himself for death. A respectable choice; given his circumstances Jodram would have been a fool to hold to hope. There was no fear in him, but there was something beneath grim resolve. The emotion resonated with the tiny twinge Terrid had been feeling within himself and trying to smother. It was regret, but not like Terrid's; not a longing for a different fate for himself. Jodram's inner pain focused on others.

Quietly, almost softly, Terrid said, "I know you're married to Jade. That you have two sons and live on Fengrine."

That roused fear in Jodram but again it wasn't fear for himself, only those he loved. "How did you know?"

"It's not secret knowledge, and the Sith have ears in many places." He put on a cruel smile. "We've never moved against your family, though you've left yourselves so vulnerable. But that can always change."

"Do you expect me to thank you for that?"

"It wasn't my decision."

The Sith hadn't moved against Jade and Jodram like they hadn't moved against Allana Djo or a dozen other prominent Jedi, and all for the same reason. All their actions were directed by Darth Krayt, that sleeping Dark Lord, whose dreams and demands flowed through Darth Wyyrlok. She always insisted they wait and build their strength in secret before revealing their full power to the Jedi. Lords like Avanc and Kheykid followed her guidance resolutely, but Terrid knew he wasn't the only Lord who was impatient with her conservatism. Restraint was not the way of the Dark Side; the Force was for breaking chains.

"Somebody ordered you to keep me alive," Jodram grunted.

He didn't deny it. As he looked down at this man Terrid yearned to kill him, just so he wouldn't have to see all the buried years in his familiar eyes.

Then Jodram asked, "Do you want to hear about Jade?"

Terrid jerked back a full step. Jodram smiled tiredly at the reward; just as he could read the Jedi, so the Jedi could read him. Indignant rage came easily; Terrid summoned a ball of Force-lightning from his hand and flung it at Jodram's chest. The Jedi wrenched in his binds as the energy danced across his body but he didn't give Terrid the scream of pain he'd been hoping for. The Jedi was using the Force to reduce the pain. He was stronger than Terrid had thought.

When the Jedi lifted his head next there wasn't the smugness or defiance Terrid had expected. Instead his eyes had gone tired and sad, and even as his limbs twitched with residual pain he breathed, "Oh, Wharn, I'm sorry."

"That is not my name. And save your sorries for Jade and the sons who'll never see their father again."

"I'm sorry for them. I'm sorry for you too. I wish… I wish I could have been just a little faster, a little better back then… I could have saved you from what they've done to you."

Shared memory welled between them: the last time they'd been together, the fight on the worldship over Malador. Darth Kheykid had overcome Jodram's defenses and swung a killing blow. Terrid- the boy he'd been- had thrown himself against his friend, risking his life to push them both out of the way. They'd survived, but Jodram's arm had been cut clear off. That had left only the Chiss boy and Arlen Fel to battle Kheykid.

But for the flail of a limb or an extra step, it could have all been different.

"I've become what I've become," Terrid said firmly. "There's no point in regret."

Jodram looked him in the eyes, studied his face, felt for him in the Force. He didn't believe it. Terrid wanted to kill him more than ever and sent another burst of Force lightning into Jodram's chest. The Jedi tried to defend against the pain but Terrid attacked him with another burst, and this time Jodram's mouth creaked open and released a cry of agony.

It was good. Terrid blasted him a third time, savoring the pain as the Jedi's defenses wore down. A few more shocks, stronger than before, would start to savage his internal organs, fry his brain, stop his heart. And with Jodram dead the buried memories would be dead too and everything of him and Jade would be gone from Terrid's life forever and he truly become what he'd irrevocably been forged to be, a Lord of the Sith.

An invisible shove knocked him off-balance. He staggered to one side, steadied his footing, and turned with rage and sizzling hands to see Serissa Lohr standing at the chamber's open door.

"I told you not to interrupt!" he shouted.

"Darth Avanc has arrived!" the Hapan woman snapped. "He wants the Jedi alive!"

It was like another slap, but this time Serissa hadn't needed to use the Force. He'd allowed spite and envy for the child he'd once been to consume him, derail him from the problem of Abeloth. He wanted to lash out Serissa and Jodram both; the girl for embarrassing him and the Jedi for witnessing his shame. Instead he gathered his dignity and asked, "Have we docked with Intruder?"

"It's just entered orbit. They're moving to couple airlocks now. I figured I should tell you before you killed the prisoner."

Terrid stifled his anger and looked back at Jodram. The Jedi was limp in his binds, eyes closed, and seemed to be calling on the Force for some healing trance. At this point it did no harm to let him.

So Serissa he said, "Thank you for the… reminder. Come, let us meet Darth Avanc."

She stared at him, like she was evaluating him anew. Then she said, "Yes. We don't want to keep him waiting."

She turned and walked out the exit without looking back. Terrid, with greater effort, did the same.

-{}-

When they took off in Jade Shadow they left Tekli and all her healers behind save one, an Advozse named Elin Ranto. On the ride up to Mon Melora, Colonel Horn prodded them with more questions about Abeloth, including who'd fought and beaten her bodies at Sevok-358. Qemar and Valiss fielded those questions, and when Horn saw how unpleasant the memories were for them he thankfully stopped pressing for details.

Mon Melora was what Jade expected it to be: a giant slab of clean new war-waging technology, the best the Alliance had to offer. Its crew, as she could sense through the Force, didn't seem especially agitated or worried by their mission. She envied them their ignorance.

Colonel Horn summoned a security team that led them to the detention block. The Erath prisoners penned behind force-fields, four to a cell, had rainbow-sheen skin undamaged by the scars and swelling that marked the plague. When Jade, Lowbacca, and Valiss walked into the chamber they instantly stood to attention. It was hard to tell with their insectoid multi-faceted eyes, but it seemed like their focus was drawn to the lightsabers dangling from the three Jedi's belts.

As if to confirm it, Colonel Horn said, "That's more than they've ever shown our people. If you wait a minute, the interpreter droid will be here."

"That's okay, I can handle Sy Bisti," Valiss said, and Jade heard the unspoken mostly.

Horn and his guards stood to the side but alert as the three Jedi approached the nearest cell. Valiss began speaking to them in the trader's tongue and Jade tried to read these beings' Force-auras, but they were as difficult and alien as those insectoid eyes.

A voice snapped from the adjacent cell. Valiss walked over to the Erath standing close to the force-field, watching the Jedi carefully. A few words were exchanged and Valiss said in Basic, "He wanted to know if we were Jedi. I told him yes."

Lowbacca asked how they knew about Jedi. Valiss relayed the question, then translated the answer. "They said their Queen of Night told them."

"Abeloth?" asked Horn from the door.

"Abeloth," Jade confirmed. "Do they know where their queen is now?"

When Valiss translated the question Erath from other cells started snapping angrily in a language that sounded different from Sy Bisti. Valiss, confused, repeated the question. The lead Erath said something, angrily, and Valiss shook her head. "They don't want to give an answer."

"That means they know the answer," Horn said.

Lowbacca told Valiss to ask why the Erath had come back to their homeworld if they knew it was infected with the plague. When she relayed that one the prisoners went sullen and most looked away. Jade thought she sensed some kind of collective regret.

An Erath from a third cell called out something. Valiss translated, "He says they were… weak. They felt the Queen calling them, but they wanted to see home again."

Lowbacca rumbled that it was not their home anymore. They'd betrayed their own race to genocide in favor of their monstrous queen. Valiss didn't translate it but somehow the meaning seemed to get through to the Erath; a few lowered their heads as if in shame.

Jade stepped over to the one who'd spoken last. He slumped against the wall of his cell, barely upright and close to the force field. Jade looked straight at him, held those alien multifaceted eyes, and tried to touch him more deeply in the Force. She fell into that place that required surrender and through surrender gained strength; in falling she fell a little closer to the mind of this creature, this pawn, this victim who'd killed so many in ruthless devotion to an abomination who demanded worship. She felt the shame and weariness and regret and she felt the lingering hold Abeloth had in his mind, in the minds of all the other Erath who'd betrayed their race for her monstrous glory.

"You're free of her," Jade whispered, and let the meaning of her words flow through the Force. "You're free of the things she made you do. Reject them and you can choose your freedom."

It wasn't really true; nothing could erase the sins these prisoners had done, and nothing could ever rebuild the Erath civilization that Abeloth had shattered. But she wanted them to believe it, for their sake and for the sake of the mission. For the sake of her husband, who was very possibly now on Abeloth's world.

The prisoner in front of her had nothing else to believe, and through their empathic bond he understood the meaning behind her foreign words. In creaking Sy Bisti he spoke. It didn't seem long, only a few sentences. Whatever his words were they made the other prisoners stir as though in recognition, but none tried to stop him and none shouted him down.

When he was done, Jade and Lowbacca turned to Valiss. The young woman said, "It's a single world orbiting a star located above the galactic ecliptic, straight toward the rim from here. They say we can't miss it."

"I'll get our nav people looking right away," Horn offered.

"Thank you," Jade said, and looked at the Erath still wilting shamefully against the wall. "Thank you."

Without even the Force, the prisoner new what she'd said. He nodded, just a little.

By the time the Jedi followed Horn and the guards into the hall, the colonel was already on the comm to the bridge, telling Mon Melora's crew to begin looking for this rogue star. As soon as he flicked off the comlink he spun on them and asked, "Any idea what you'll find when you get the planet?"

Lowbacca shook his shaggy head. Jade added the silent hope that her husband would be there.

"You just brought one ship full of Jedi. I'm sure they're fine knights, but you'll probably need more than that if you're hunting Abeloth."

"Are you offering something?" asked Jade.

Horn spread his arms, encompassing this little hallway and the whole huge ship. "I was given broad latitude to accomplish my mission. I don't expect a major threat to this planet but I'll keep the frigates and corvettes here to watch over the medical teams."

Lowbacca trilled that this wasn't necessary, but Horn shook his head. "Respectfully, Grand Master, you're going to need all the help you can get."

He was right, of course, and the Wookiee reluctantly nodded his assent, then his thanks. Mon Melora was a mighty ship and its presence should have made Jade feel confident. Instead, for some reason she couldn't name, it only increased her sense of foreboding.

-{}-

Intruder and the Erath shuttle coupled airlocks and moved together in orbit over a world of swirling greens, whites and blues. It was, according to sensors, the only planet around this lonely star, lifted high above the galactic plane so that the surrounding space seemed to be a great, starless night.

They met in the Erath shuttle for the space it provided. Once they'd reached their destination it had been no effort to flush all of the captive crew out the airlock. The other Erath ships that had fled Sevok-358 had paid that no notice; they'd dived eagerly down to the planet below, and while Terrid had occupied himself with the prisoner, Serissa had examined the surface with the shuttle's sensors.

"It's a warm planet, lush," she told the three Sith who stood around her. "We're detecting ruins of some kind on the surface, but there's no sign of active technology."

"Where are all the Erath landing?" asked Avanc.

"They all seem to be vectoring toward one location. A large cluster of ruins on the south shore of the northern continent."

"Then she is there," hissed Darth Kheykid, quiet until now.

"That seems likely." Avanc looked at Terrid. "How is the prisoner?"

"He resisted interrogation, but was not badly damaged." He was afraid Serissa might interject and tell Avanc the rest but she did not. Perhaps she was saving it for when he wasn't present. He asked the Keshiri, "What purpose does he serve alive? He knows next to nothing. Al he's heard of Abeloth are rumors, legends. I'm sure you know more."

"And I will tell you all I know in time, Lord Terrid," Avanc said warningly.

"There's only four of us and we don't know what she's doing down there," Serissa said. "You can't be planning to face her."

"Not alone. Darth Maleth and Darth Inexor are leading another group of Sith here, but they have a long way to travel."

"So we wait?" Terrid asked.

"We wait and we scout." He asked Serissa, "Are there any signs of sentient life outside that cluster of ruins on the coast?"

"There's no sign of high technology. It looks like this planet has been abandoned for a very long time. Thousands of years."

"Perhaps it was a Rakata world," Kheykid suggested.

"They were active in this space, but so were the Kwa, the Gree, and other races we have no names for," Avanc said. "It may be this is an old Erath world."

"Something must have drawn Abeloth all the way here," said Terrid.

"It's remote. Hard to get to," Serissa said. "Perhaps she just wanted a place to hide."

"No. I think there is more than that." Avanc's brows drew together in thought. "The only way we will know for sure is to get close to the surface and begin scouting."

"We have two ships," said Terrid. "We can bring this shuttle to land like the others while Intruder follows in our shadow."

"You would be bait, perhaps," Kheykid said.

"Sith do not shirk from danger," Terrid glared.

Avanc opened his mouth to say something but an alarm pinged in the cockpit. Serissa went in first and the others followed. The Hapan princess had proven surprisingly adept at learning the insides of this alien ship and when she looked at the sensor console her face immediately fell.

"What is it?" asked Terrid.

She breathed deep. "One Mon Calamari cruiser had just dropped into orbit. It's massive."

"The Alliance?" asked Kheykid.

"The Jedi." Avanc sounded only mildly surprised. "I didn't expect them to find this world so quickly."

"You knew they would get here?" Terrid stared.

"I knew they were coming and I knew they might reach here before our backup arrived," the Keshiri said. "You understand why I wanted you to keep that prisoner alive, Darth Terrid?"

"What do you plan on doing with the Jedi?"

"What do you think? Abeloth waits for us both below. I don't suppose the Jedi will kindly hold until more Sith arrive. They have the advantage which means we have to negotiate." He turned to Serissa and said, "Send a message. Tell the Jedi we wish to meet them on the surface of the planet for a parlay. Tell them we have a prisoner we're happy to release, as a sign of good faith."

-{}-

The surface of this nameless, lonely planet seemed to Jade an endless sprawl of flat green; tall grass and clusters of gnarled trees that rose from swampland that stretched back miles from the ocean. When she stepped out of Jade Shadow the first thing she noticed was the salt in the air; then the clamminess, then the heat. Then she turned and looked at the giant ruins rearing out of the landscape, kilometers away and half-faded in the thick air but still staggering. Some looked like the elegant mile-high towers of Coruscant had half-sunk into the swamp and slanted almost to toppling. Others looked like curved scraps of wreckage that had fallen from the sky on a gigantic scale. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before and she couldn't imagine what ancient race had created them.

She couldn't bring herself to care about the mysterious makers. As the Erath shuttle set down thirty meters away from Shadow and the Alliance troop transport Colonel Horn had brought down with them, she couldn't even bring herself to care about the Sith that were apparently aboard. She could feel, just barely, their presence aboard the ship but their life-force felt dim compared to the bright, familiar clarion that was Jodram. She reached to him and he reached back. She tried to tell him everything would be alright now that they were together, even if she couldn't actually believe it. He wasn't comforted. He was trying to warn her of something, she couldn't tell what.

The others were taking no chances. She lingered beside Grand Master Lowbacca and Ohali Soroc beneath Jade Shadow's nose while a dozen other Jedi placed themselves between Jade's ship and the Sith's. Two dozen Galactic Alliance marines had disgorged from the troop carrier and spread a circle around the Sith shuttle. Several of them, Jade saw, carried shoulder-mounted grenade launchers and dropped to one knee so as to better aim shots out of the meter-tall grass. Colonel Horn himself remained at the carrier, where two dozen more soldiers stood at order.

Everyone watched the Sith ship. As they waited for the landing ramp to open Lowbacca growled, very quietly, that he only sensed a handful of Sith aboard.

"And Jodram," Jade whispered. "I know he's these."

Warm, heavy wind blew across the plain. Grass danced around Jade's waist. Finally, with a clank and a hiss, the shuttle's landing ramp extended. The Jedi ignited their sabers and the Alliance troops hefted their weapons. The ramp's end dropped into the soft dirt and for a long moment nothing moved.

The first set of feet came into view: black boots, with the rim of a black cloak flowing around them. Even as that figure came into full view another followed: much larger, with bare clawed reptilian feet. They stepped out into the sunlight and their faces became visible beneath the hoods of their cloaks. One was a violet-skinned humanoid. The other was a Barabel with savage red-and-black tattoos across its face. With a shudder, Jade remembered hearing of the Sith who'd fought Arlen, cut of Jodram's arm, and killed Wharn all those years ago. This Sith and Wharn should have died together.

The shock almost distracted her as the last two figures stepped down the ramp. Her eyes immediately fell on Jodram. His hands were bound in front of him and his steps were long and haggard but he held his head eye and his eyes met Jade's across the distance. She stepped out from under Jade Shadow and made her way through the grass to the front of the formation of Jedi. Ayen Qemar and the Advozse healer, Elin Ranto, stopped her from reaching him, but she was close enough to make out the sweat that pasted messy blond hair to a face darkened by faint bruises. She saw his eyes, too, and the sadness in them. She didn't understand and tried to funnel relief to him in the Force, but the sadness didn't go away.

Jodram shuffled a few steps to the side, giving Jade a clear view of the final Sith. Two red eyes glowed beneath his hood and daylight showed the blue skin of his gaunt, stern, half-familiar face. Her eyes darted back to her husband who nodded once, eyes sadder than before.

Understanding staggered her. She tried to reach out with the Force and touch this Sith who was Wharn but he ignored or avoided her entreaty. She barely noticed the lavender-skinned Sith step forward until he was just a meter outside striking range of three Jedi blades.

He had no weapons in his hands; instead he pulled back his hood to fully reveal his face. In full sunlight Jade could see the black tattoos lines on his cheeks and chin, which added a savage flavor to his appearance but did nothing to take away from its attractiveness. She recalled what she'd heard about the race called Keshiri, handsome and violet-skinned, who'd been part of the Lost Tribe of the Sith.

"By name is Darth Avanc," the Sith said. His voice was deep, smooth, dignified. "May I say it is an honor to meet the Jedi Grand Master in the flesh."

Lowbacca roared from beneath Jade Saber. Valiss began, "The Grand Master says-"

"I know what the Grand Master said, thank you." Avanc's smile showed small white teeth. "He may be interested to know that his race does not have adepts solely among the Jedi."

That sent a ripple of disquiet through the assembled knights. Lowbacca stepped forward, leaving only Ohali in the rear. The case containing the Morath dagger was strapped conspicuously to her back, and though Jade doubted the Sith knew the case's meaning they must have been curious.

As Lowbacca stepped between Jade and Qemar he roared a request. Avanc, still smiling, replied, "Of course. With me are Darth Kheykid and Darth Terrid."

Terrid. She couldn't help looking back at the Sith who had been Wharn. In his harsh glare there was some echo of the driven, self-punishing Chiss boy she'd known.

Lowbacca's next roar was a demand. Avanc nodded and gave a little wave. A handless push shoved Jodram forward, past the Sith line. Jade- the only Jedi besides Lowbacca without her saber drawn- rushed forward and caught Jodram in both arms. He let himself fall, let his bigger body press against hers.

"Oh, Jade," he whispered, face in her hair, "You shouldn't have come."

She helped him stagger back away from the Sith. The healer Ranto was immediately beside them and the Advosze began running his hands over Jodram's body, sensing for damage.

"Not so bad," Jodram said, though his face was a wince. "No broken bones or anything. Just a lot of Force lightning."

"Was it Wharn?" Jade whispered.

"Terrid. Call him Terrid."

She glanced back at the Sith. Wharn, Terrid, whatever he was, he remained where he'd been. So did the Barabel, Kheykid. Avanc and Lowbacca had stepped within a meter of each other, both his hands open and visible. Avanc was saying, "You know why we're here. It's the same reason you are. Abeloth is here and she must be destroyed before she can wreak more havoc."

"Why should we believe you?" Qemar snapped. "Your kind partnered with her before!"

"They did, and they paid the price." Avanc scowled. "Abeloth ravaged my parents' homeworld. I know more than anyone that she must be stopped."

Jade stepped away from Jodram for a moment; she had to say her piece. "Your kind also made an alliance with Grand Master Skywalker back then. You betrayed him, repeatedly."

"I was told a slightly different version of the story, but I won't deny there were betrayals." The Keshiri said. "You should also remember that fifty years ago she was defeated by two working as one: the Dark Lord of the Sith, and your grandfather."

Jade flinched. She'd been living in peace for a full decade, leading her own life with her husband and sons, and still these Sith knew who she was. But of course they would; there was no escape from being a Skywalker.

Lowbacca gave a suggestion. Before Avanc could respond Qemar grabbed the Wookiee's shaggy arm. "Grand Master, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I'm willing to take him up, even with conditions," Avanc said. A lightsaber fell from his cloak-sleeves into either hand; the Jedi tensed but neither ignited. He held both weapons out. The saber in his right hand Jade didn't recognize, but the left weapon was Jodram's.

Lowbacca called the right saber to his hand, then hooked it beside his own. Jade picked up Jodram's and called it to her. That done, Lowbacca waved an arm. The two remaining Sith stepped back toward their ship. The Jedi shifted carefully away from the Grand Master, never taking their eyes off him. Colonel Horn's troops stayed exactly where they were, rifles and grenade launched trained and ready to fire on signal.

When they had enough space, Lowbacca and Darth Avanc stepped closer to speak in low voices. Wind rustled grass and erased even the murmurs. Jade turned back to her husband, who was still on his feet as Ranto finished examining him.

"The damage is not severe," the healer said, "But he needs rest."

Jade sidled close to Jodram and let him lean on her. His weight and warmth and firmness felt good; she'd been afraid she'd never feel them again. She passed his lightsaber back to him, and he hooked it onto his belt.

As they watched Lowbacca and Avanc inaudibly confer she asked, "Was he the one who captured you? Did you talk to him? Did he-"

"Jade, please," he whispered, and squeezed her around the waist so hard it hurt.

She tore her eyes back to the Chiss. She could barely see his blue face over the rim of his hood now. Like everyone else, his attention was on the Wookiee and the Keshiri.

"He wanted to know about Abeloth," Jodram breathed. "I told him all I knew. Since it wasn't much."

"But Wharn… Terrid… Did he ask you about you? About us?"

"He didn't ask. But I think… he wanted to."

"That Barabel, he was the one who cut off your arm, wasn't he?"

"That's right. And I guess he captured Wharn, all those years ago."

She couldn't image what kind of horrors the Sith had inflicted on the boy they'd known to break him into being one of them. Looking back Wharn had always had a streak that was independent, willful, and proud, traits not always best in a Jedi, but it staggered her to think that those qualities had been warped enough to turn him into a Sith. She remembered his despondency and guilt after Darth Xoran had killed Master Mjalu, and his gnawing need to punish the Sith for what they'd done.

"Jade," he whispered, "You came all this way to fight Abeloth. Don't you have more?"

"We've got a Mon Cal cruiser in orbit too."

"But Jade, it's Abeloth. Your grandfather-"

"Almost died fighting her, and that was with a Dark Lord's help. I know. But we've got a secret weapon this time. See that Duro over by Shadow? She's got something special."

"Do the Sith know?"

"I don't think so. I doubt Lowbacca is telling them."

"Jade, we can't team up with them. We can't trust them."

She recalled what her grandfather had done fifty years ago. "This isn't about trusting them. This is about using them."

"Like they use us."

"That's what it looks like."

"Jade, this is a bad idea. I can't-"

"You're not doing anything. You're going back to Jade Shadow so Ranto can put you in a healing trance."

He squeezed her tighter. "I'm not letting you go out there alone. Not when you've got Sith on one side and Abeloth on the other."

"You're in no shape to fight."

"I feel better already. It's not like-"

A loud Wookiee roar sounded across the plain. Lowbacca stepped back among his people, Avanc to his. The Keshiri, Jade noticed, had his lightsaber again.

"It is decided," Avanc announced for the everyone to hear. "Jedi, Sith, Alliance… We'll all work together to destroy Abeloth."

Lowbacca howled his mournful agreement. Jade felt the discord ripple through the Jedi but kept her eyes on Darth Terrid. His head titled just a bit so he could look at Jade and Jodram across the grass. When their eyes met he turned away, hiding his face again, but just a second of those blood-red eyes glowing in the shadowed hood made her shudder.

"Oh, you shouldn't have come," Jodram repeated. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," she lied, then told truth. "We'll do this together. This is the only choice we have."