250 ABY

June 2021 A.D.

~~0~0~~

Prelude

Space.

It knows no bounds, least of all when it comes to realities unlike our own. Why should an entire galaxy be any different?

For every Palpatine who came to the throne, there were ones who did not. For every Luke and Leia who led the Rebellion to victory, there were ones who perished in the fires of war. For every Rey who languished in the solitude of Jakku's endless deserts, there were ones who went to bed every night with their eternal thirsts unquenched.

Or perhaps not. Perhaps those stories are just that. Stories. No way of knowing whether they're real or not. Real enough to you or me, I suppose.

And who am I, you ask?

I am a historian. Let's put it that way. I take a... certain interest in regaling the stories of the Star Wars galaxy. It is a galaxy familiar to so many of us, home to over one hundred quadrillion souls spread out over one billion star systems.

That's a bit much, isn't it? My apologies.

The point being, what's real in this galaxy is up to you and me and everyone else who has ever lived. Yes, that galaxy. It exists, you know. Some dismiss it as nothing more than a passing fancy, a figment of our imagination. But you know what? It lives. It breathes for so long as there are stories to tell about it. We are drawn to it by the promises of all the realities it allows us to bask in.

Think about it. In one reality, Jacen and Jaina Solo were never born, and thus the tragic fate of Darth Caedus and his sister never came to be. In another reality, Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss never threatened the New Republic. And in yet another reality, the song between Ben Solo and Rey, last of the Jedi, was never sung.

Hush. Do you hear that? It is a song. A song that stretches to every corner of the galaxy, promising magnificent things. It is like many other songs, except for one small difference.

Earth.

Who would have thought? Don't get me wrong, it has certain charms. It's just not often that I see it take part in a story that is itching to be woven into the Star Wars galaxy proper.

But here we are. Earth it is. The specific song it sings, dear reader, is one that I have utmost interest in.

Let us take a look.

Oh?

Well, this is rather fascinating. There seem to be some... curious wrinkles in this song. There are pieces of it that I have never seen before in the likes of the Star Wars galaxy, but yet... so familiar. Well then. I think this will be quite the tale.

Dear reader, I have a request to make of you. Please allow me to tell you this story. It's a story of many things, really. You'll be fortunate enough to indulge in a dash of adventure, warfare, romance, mystery, comfort, and, dare I say, find joy in the return of many old friends that you may be familiar with.

And most of all? It's about a long-lost planet that struggles to find its place in a galaxy that had ignored it for so long.

I mean, who could blame them? Look at it. Earth. It's nothing more than an insignificant mudball tucked away in the Unknown Regions. It should come as no surprise that anyone who has ever stepped foot in that part of space would be hard-pressed to find anything of importance. There are countless black holes, unstable hyperspace lanes, the threat of being atomized into oblivion, and much, much more to worry about.

Ah, who am I kidding? I'm getting ahead of myself. First, allow me to paint a picture of what you, dear reader, will be getting into.

The song we are fortunate enough to witness takes place well over two hundred and fifty years after the Battle of Yavin. Granted, the timing is a little unusual given the periods covered by so many other songs, but I promise that it will all make sense soon. Earthlings are a strange bunch and I can think of no better people to deal with them than the major players present in the galaxy as of 250 ABY.

Seriously. Think about it. The Grandmaster has been on the Black Throne for just over two hundred years now, ushering in the longest era of peace the galaxy has seen since the Great Peace of the Republic. The Jedi Coalition and its allies do excellent work maintaining that peace with the tens of thousands of Jedi and Coalition personnel at their disposal. The Black Order and the Jedi Council are getting along better than ever. Fruitful partnerships are blossoming everywhere with organizations such as Sorosuub Corporation, Tendrando Arms, and Kuat Drive Yards leading the way.

I'm getting ahead of myself again, aren't I? Sorry. You don't know who most of those players are. Yet. It may not also be lost on you that some of those unfamiliar names could involve the... wrinkles I mentioned earlier. You would be correct.

But like any kind of story, there are plenty of recognizable faces to peer at. For every new planet such as Earth and Midgar, there are others that are much more familiar. Coruscant. Bothawui. Mandalore. Geonosis. Naboo. Tatooine. Nal Hutta. Nar Shaddaa. Sleheyron. Anaxes. Brentaal. Thyferra.

Whoops. You'll have to excuse me; that was a little overwhelming. It's simply quite exciting to witness this story unfold with Earth in the mix. Having said that, I need you to promise me something.

Animus apertus.

Do you know what that means? Open mind.

It is with an open mind in which you will be able to take part in this song. There is so much unknown, but everything will be made known to you, given time. All the while, it is perfectly healthy to possess some fear of the unknown. It has been a long time since the glory days of the Rebellion and the chaos of the Yuuzhan Vong War, after all.

Ah, I should probably mention that bit. In this song, the Yuuzhan Vong did indeed invade the galaxy in 25 ABY. Some things happened as they did before in certain songs. Others did not. Why would they? All songs would be dull if they were all the same.

Ugh, I have to apologize to you again, dear reader. I'm a bit of a spoilsport myself, so I'll have to cut off my ramblings shortly.

Just remember this - the galaxy is currently experiencing a calmness like never before. Many legends have come and gone in this song: Luke, Leia, Han, Wedge, Vader, Palpatine, and more. Many legends remain too. And remember the others, the new ones who are coming and have yet to come. They will excite you, I think. Listen to them. Learn from them. Witness their stories within the story.

One last thing.

Rest assured, the song will unfold precisely as it intends. What you're about to witness with the discovery of Earth in the Star Wars galaxy is like nothing before. The upheaval it will have on the citizens of the galaxy knows no bounds, perhaps going so far as to eclipse other matters. The echoes from Earth's song will ring to all the dark corners of creation and within the roaring current of the Force, threatening to create an impact not seen since the time of the Jedi Revan. Even the rise of the Empire and the ascent of Emperor Palpatine could not outdo what is to come.

Just how big of an impact Earth will have beyond that, however, remains to be seen. You know the Force as well as I do. It claims to have a will, to guide us all. It is the Force that will determine the fate of all those who take part in this song.

Enough of my rambling. You're probably still wondering who I am. While I'm afraid I cannot tell you, you'll find out soon enough. Trust me. You're a clever one, and given enough time... you'll piece it together, like all the rest.

Now, let us begin. It is the year 250 ABY, the timeframe of which coincides with June 2021 Anno Domini on planet Earth. The humans of that planet carry on blissfully with their lives, completely unaware of the vast expanse of the wider galaxy lying in wait beyond them. If left to their devices, those humans would be content to remain ignorant if not for one small problem, manifested in the form of a group of wanted criminals seeking refuge somewhere in the Unknown Regions.

How did that come about, you ask?

Well, the story starts as all stories do, with a pair of fools in love...

~ Prelude End ~