CHAPTER 23
The Millennium Falcon was ready to launch. Its engines prepped and revved up, its shields at full strength and its passengers eager to leave the Sith hanger before there wasn't a hanger left to escape from. Chevacca and Grem patiently, but less than they were a half an hour ago, waited for any signs of Master Skywalker and Master Oden. Hoping that they had not been cut off from their access to the hanger by the collapsing interior of the Sith destroyer. Their worries were put on hold when they received a transmission from an undisclosed Jedi Starfighter, but in all essence they knew who it was before they had the chance to respond to the chiming signal. "Red-leader to Millennium Falcon, Red-leader to the Millennium Falcon do you copy?" Saliv expelled via the subspace radio. Chevacca taped the open channel panel on his forwards console while simultaneously keeping a constant watch for his wayward friends. "This is the Millennium Falcon. What's the Status out their Master Romdel?" Saliv's voice reflected the fact that he was somewhat caught off guard by his friend's strait-to-the point response. "Well it's good to hear your voice to Chevacca, but I'll save the teary reunion when you get off that ship! Now what's taking you so long that hulk is starting to fall apart!" Grem answered for the translator dependant wookiee at his side. "We are still waiting for Master Skywalker and Master Oden to return to the Ship, he ran after her about an.." "There!" Chevacca barked, his furry paw like finger signifying his focus of attention through the main view port. Past the interior landscape of falling shards of metal and flaming wiring, lay the sight of Dorshe' and Yoda, running past and jumping over the hulks of discarded metal hull and trooper bodies until they finally sped their way up the Falcon's gangplank. "We've got them." Grem cheered as he hit the switch to seal the ship's entrance hatch way. "Saliv we have them I repeat we Have Masters Skywalker and Oden." The Jedi Master then guided the ship off the landing deck as Grem retracted the Falcon's parking struts. R2, still latched into the Falcon's interface matrix, used his control over the Sith vessel to deactivate the barrier shield that separated open space from the hanger allowing the ship no resistance as it passed through the wide opening. "I copy Falcon! Now get out of there!" he warned. "My readouts show that the vessel your on is undergoing complete self destruction. I'm leading my group away from it now, so you'd best follow suit!" Just then Yoda Skywalker and Dorshe' Oden burst their way into the cockpit. Grem looks back to see Skywalker rushing to take his seat "It's my ship Venad, you best let me take it from here!" The vurk then hopped out of the chair, almost tripping over R2 in the process as Yoda began to diligently maintain the engines so Chevacca could pilot the Falcon with enough speed to jut them as fast as possible. The old corellian vessel glided its way out of the Solid black warship. The space around it filled with flames as the Sith fleet including the one they had just left, were being consumed by explosions. "Raise power to the aft shields!" Yoda said to Chevacca as he increased the energy in the engines drastically sending it far faster than before. "Hold onto something this is going to be close!" Dorshe rammed her fingers into the wall paneling with her enormous strength as Grem hooked his larger hands around an exposed silver pipe. Chevacca then adjusted his seat restraints to keep him in his chair, but as he tightened the main loop, the leather straps snapped in two. Yoda would have chuckled at his friend's obvious look of frustration, but gave it little thought as he pivoted the Falcon past the larger falling remnants of discarded metal from the devastated vessel. Then, the Falcon became caught in a veritable inferno of liquid fire that washed over its hull like water passing around a quick and slippery fish, but just like that fish. The Falcon sped away from the shower of heat with a great gust of force ignited by the Falcon's engines in combination with the raging space fire. "WooooooooooWhooooooooooo!" Skywalker screamed in child like delight as the Millennium Falcon rendezvoused with the formation of Jedi war cruisers that began to fill its view port. Yoda turned in his seat to face his four companions, still embracing whatever piece of the cockpit that kept them in place. "You can all relax now we're in the clear!" he smirked as Chevacca gave him a tender pat on the shoulder. Dorshe' managed to remove her fingers from their steel niches as she embraced Grem in a joyous hug that he willingly returned while R2 sang a celebratory song of hoots and beeps. The blissful moment was interrupted by another familiar voice that filled in the room over the comm. "This is the Virtuous hailing the Millennium Falcon." it was the raspy voice of Master Amtlar, now in a more content tone to contact their own. ".Millennium Falcon what is your status?" Yoda tapped the comm. panel in response. "We're just fine Baldos, just Fine!" he smiled broadly then he remembered the children now contained in the Falcon's lounge. "We have taken on some passengers Master Amtlar, I wish to request landing permission to board the Virtuous." "What kind of passengers?" Yoda didn't need to sense the mon calamari's concern, it was quite evident in his words. "Children that were kidnapped by the Sith. No threat to anyone, just in search of a warm meal." Amtlar's tone grew into that of pure compassion. "We await your arrival Skywalker! Amtlar out!" "Setting a docking course for the Virtuous." Chevacca proclaimed as his paws glided over his navigation console. "Confirmed." Yoda complied. "I'm going to check on the young ones." Dorshe' said as she made her way out of the cockpit and to the lounge. Grem looked around, searching for one missing person, or rather one missing droid. "Where is 3PO?" That's when Yoda's eyes rolled back into his head. He knew exactly where the golden protocol droid was, and he could bet he also was aware of what he was doing.
Dorshe' sensed amazement and wonder coming from the closed hatch that led into the main lounge. It was a comforting sensation. She tapped the entry panel before the door slipped open. The Jedi master was delighted to see the mass of young people huddled around a shinny man of steel, who began to finish a story of a long, long time ago. ".With the Emperor dead and the Second Deathstar destroyed by the courageous Rebels. All the people on Endor, including the Noble Master Luke Skywalker and his long lost sister Leia celebrated into the waking hours of the morning with their new friends the Ewoks. They danced, they sang but most of all." Dorshe' listened with attuned attention to 3PO's final words. ".They were free!" and the children clapped and cooed with innocent amazement. "And they lived happily ever after! The End" he finished as the children began to clap and raise their tiny hands, as if to ask a question of their beloved school teacher. Questions the mind of a child would truly want to know like: How big was the Deathstar? Was Vader really Luke's dad? Was Leia Pretty? The queries almost overloaded C-3PO as the children flooded him with their angelic voices. Master Oden could only stand back, her body peering halfway through the doorway, absorbing the untainted essence that the children produced in the small room. She couldn't help but caress her stomach in a manner only harnessed by a mother's love in a moment with that only a mother could comprehend.
* * *
The Millennium Falcon's gangplank lowered to the sights and sounds of a brightly lit hanger deck full of celebration. Jedi pilots and crewmen alike put aside their disciplined demeanors long enough to enjoy the presence of their friends, because thankfully no lives were taken away from them in this battle. They cheered and danced to the songs projected over the Virtuous's internal comm. system and once the passengers of the Falcon exited onto the main deck. The roars of excitement were only enhanced ten fold. The children at first were fearful of these noises but were soon embraced and greeted by the pleasant faces of Jedi healers that would take them to more comforting surroundings. Which they willingly hugged in return hospitality, only sensing the calm loving emotions they projected as a sign of safety, but the healers let the children stay for the festivities as they were raised into the Jedi's arms and looked on with the same amazement Dorshe' had seen once before. In the mists of this great collection of exuberant Jedi, Saliv Romdel managed to squeeze past the mob, to embrace his former Padawan: Grem. The Seven foot reptile tightened his arms around his teacher's bulky jump suit that encased his human body and raised Saliv high off the ground in a loving embrace. Happy to see each other alive and well evident by the tears held back in Grem's large dark eyes. Yoda's smile was gleaming through his thick blonde beard as he noted his two family droids waltzing along with some maintenance bots and several other astromechs. Dorshe' could feel the loss of felt for the stolen clone but he was more than pleased to see his Jedi cohorts in such a state of ecstasy overcame any pain he felt before this battle. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it slightly to act as some small comfort for the bewildered man. Yoda turned his gaze to her then slid his hands around Dorshe', following suit with the other Jedi in yet another sweet embrace as fireworks blew from the exploding remnants of the Sith fleet that filled the open landscape I seen from the open docking port of the Virtuous's hanger deck.
* * *
Deep within the darkest depths of a planet far from what it seems to be in its outer appearance. Evil still dwelled and remained at work. For the Sith knew that while the Jedi had won the first battle in this war of which no one has ever seen before, but they have yet to win this war. Bretew entered the dark room which contained his Master along with an armored captain Fett standing in front of a tiny stasis tube that was based in the center of the void like room. The door sealed behind the nitko as he walked to the side of his Master. Noting that glowing lights of the embryonic chamber was the only collective essence of illumination in the entire room. Lighting the figures in it and not even touching walls, creating an illusion of a harnessed void within which they stood. "You summoned me my Master?" Bretew bowed as the cloaked woman gave him and indistinguishable gaze under her black cowl. "Yes Lord Bretew! It has become clear to me that Darth Sadist is no more and our fleet crippled by the Jedi forces." She said in a tone that neither reflected pleasure nor anger. "Yes my Master. Two of our vessels barely returned with their hulls intact and have reported our losses. The remaining members of the fleet received the order to activate their self-destruction subroutines and carried them to its end." He concluded while turning his sights to the suspended being before him. "No matter, all has happened for its reasons." She turned to Fett. "Thanks to the resources of the impressive Captain here, we have what we need right here." Fett gave no sign of glory when he received this compliment, the two Sith could not even sense any real emotions from him at all, except a hint of curiosity. "I do what I'm paid to do." "And so you shall be rewarded handsomely" she expelled in a dastardly manner of humor. "I sense you will serve our graces exceptionally in the near future." Fett then removed his helmet and focused his eyes on the glowing tube with a stone-faced expression more solid than his own protective headpiece. "If you do plan to insure my services indefinably, then there is one question I wish to ask before I join your 'graces'." "And what would that be?" the Master inquired already knowing exactly what Fett was referring to. "Who is that?" he pointed to the clone suspended in the glass tube in front of them. "Ah yes." the Sith woman rasped. ".that is the key to our past and our future glory. And the fall of the Jedi Order!" Bretew concluded knowing his master would never say it straight out. "That Captain, is the clone of Anakin Skywalker, also known to the Galaxy as Darth Vader!" And for the first time anyone had probably ever witnessed. Fett's eyes grew wide with shock as the Master's voice filled the invisible walls of the dark room with laughter only equaled by the darkness of her heart.
* * *
Coruscant, at dawn, the cathedral of Jedi temple was filled with every Jedi that could muster their way into the great expanse of the pillars and stain glass windows of bright entrancing colors that reveled in the lights from the morning sun. Before the great conference of Jedi, Master Yoda Skywalker, now dawned in his traditional Jedi robes, made his way through the pews and up to the primary platform where he would address his audience. Not only present in the room, but those who watched from there homes and on the large monitors mounted all over Coruscant's great squares, especially for the citizen's New Ossus along with other New Republic and Jedi respecting planets. Already sitting on the main lecture platform stood the respected leaders of the Jedi High Council, including Master Chevacca and Master Oden who would finally be leaving for her home world after this morning's gathering, next to her stood Master Amtlar and Supreme Forewoman Antilles of the Senate board of directors along with her four other chancellors, garbed in their most formal of attire. Yoda finally reached the steps of the long expanse as the audience waited patiently for his deliberations before glancing over to see his beautiful wife: Angel and his two children sitting in the first row next to their family droids C-3PO and R2-D2. Skywalker also saw the tall blue figure of Grem Venad sitting next to his the astromech with Master Romdel. This pleased Yoda to see such familiar people in his company to hear his words despite how honest and truthful. for they were words he didn't take joy in speaking. He sighed before finally stepping up to the podium and called upon the force to guide his voice through this morning's speech. "Good Day to you my fellow Jedi and Republic citizens alike." he opened in a tone not displaying emotional attachment to the subject at hand. ".It is with mixed feelings that I come before you all on this day to inform you of our recent time of conflict." He paused as fly holo-cams hovered around him, transmitting his every word and movement to homes and public screens all over the galaxy. "Recently the Jedi had become involved in several incidents against a once thought long dead race of beings, known by historical records as the Sith." He paused again allowing all those who haven't been informed of this news to let it sink in. "If the past has taught us anything of these Sith beings. It is that they are a force not needed in the universe one of darkness, hate and Evil. All their efforts thus far have failed, but we are now aware that in this skirmish there has only been one reported casualty." His voice fell silent as he sensed the pain of loss wincing from Master Oden. "But despite our loss, they have suffered many more. The Battle of the Rishi-Maze signified two things that will ever be etched into our history. It having been our first victory against the Sith and our first official confirmation of war." Yoda bowed his head slightly sensing the emotions of thousands upon thousands fill his consciousness. "While many of you might feel this is a war that best be left by the Jedi and the Sith. Many of you should consider the fall of the original Republic and the rise of the diminutive Empire for which the Sith were responsible" The Jedi in his presence fed Yoda all the strength he needed to keep him from bursting. "But I have faith that we will overcome this threat. Like our ancestors who survived the Empire and even the War of the Vong. I believe that we will defeat the Sith." He proclaimed. "For we are a strong people and we will never fall to evil again. This is the age of heroes, a day were men and women of all walks of life can unite and serve to better all, for the overall good of everyone. All I ask of you the people is to pray for a quick and swift end to this conflict. For many of us it could lead to much pain, but it could also lead." Yoda paused for an instant that he will never forget as the ghostly image of Quinlan Vos, a Jedi separated from him by space and time looked him in the eyes. Reminding him of what he said over two thousand years ago. ".to a time of everlasting peace." Yoda smiled at the Vos spirit, which returned the gesture with a smile all his own as he vanished back into the Force. "May The Force Be with us." Yoda concluded. ".Always!"
The Millennium Falcon was ready to launch. Its engines prepped and revved up, its shields at full strength and its passengers eager to leave the Sith hanger before there wasn't a hanger left to escape from. Chevacca and Grem patiently, but less than they were a half an hour ago, waited for any signs of Master Skywalker and Master Oden. Hoping that they had not been cut off from their access to the hanger by the collapsing interior of the Sith destroyer. Their worries were put on hold when they received a transmission from an undisclosed Jedi Starfighter, but in all essence they knew who it was before they had the chance to respond to the chiming signal. "Red-leader to Millennium Falcon, Red-leader to the Millennium Falcon do you copy?" Saliv expelled via the subspace radio. Chevacca taped the open channel panel on his forwards console while simultaneously keeping a constant watch for his wayward friends. "This is the Millennium Falcon. What's the Status out their Master Romdel?" Saliv's voice reflected the fact that he was somewhat caught off guard by his friend's strait-to-the point response. "Well it's good to hear your voice to Chevacca, but I'll save the teary reunion when you get off that ship! Now what's taking you so long that hulk is starting to fall apart!" Grem answered for the translator dependant wookiee at his side. "We are still waiting for Master Skywalker and Master Oden to return to the Ship, he ran after her about an.." "There!" Chevacca barked, his furry paw like finger signifying his focus of attention through the main view port. Past the interior landscape of falling shards of metal and flaming wiring, lay the sight of Dorshe' and Yoda, running past and jumping over the hulks of discarded metal hull and trooper bodies until they finally sped their way up the Falcon's gangplank. "We've got them." Grem cheered as he hit the switch to seal the ship's entrance hatch way. "Saliv we have them I repeat we Have Masters Skywalker and Oden." The Jedi Master then guided the ship off the landing deck as Grem retracted the Falcon's parking struts. R2, still latched into the Falcon's interface matrix, used his control over the Sith vessel to deactivate the barrier shield that separated open space from the hanger allowing the ship no resistance as it passed through the wide opening. "I copy Falcon! Now get out of there!" he warned. "My readouts show that the vessel your on is undergoing complete self destruction. I'm leading my group away from it now, so you'd best follow suit!" Just then Yoda Skywalker and Dorshe' Oden burst their way into the cockpit. Grem looks back to see Skywalker rushing to take his seat "It's my ship Venad, you best let me take it from here!" The vurk then hopped out of the chair, almost tripping over R2 in the process as Yoda began to diligently maintain the engines so Chevacca could pilot the Falcon with enough speed to jut them as fast as possible. The old corellian vessel glided its way out of the Solid black warship. The space around it filled with flames as the Sith fleet including the one they had just left, were being consumed by explosions. "Raise power to the aft shields!" Yoda said to Chevacca as he increased the energy in the engines drastically sending it far faster than before. "Hold onto something this is going to be close!" Dorshe rammed her fingers into the wall paneling with her enormous strength as Grem hooked his larger hands around an exposed silver pipe. Chevacca then adjusted his seat restraints to keep him in his chair, but as he tightened the main loop, the leather straps snapped in two. Yoda would have chuckled at his friend's obvious look of frustration, but gave it little thought as he pivoted the Falcon past the larger falling remnants of discarded metal from the devastated vessel. Then, the Falcon became caught in a veritable inferno of liquid fire that washed over its hull like water passing around a quick and slippery fish, but just like that fish. The Falcon sped away from the shower of heat with a great gust of force ignited by the Falcon's engines in combination with the raging space fire. "WooooooooooWhooooooooooo!" Skywalker screamed in child like delight as the Millennium Falcon rendezvoused with the formation of Jedi war cruisers that began to fill its view port. Yoda turned in his seat to face his four companions, still embracing whatever piece of the cockpit that kept them in place. "You can all relax now we're in the clear!" he smirked as Chevacca gave him a tender pat on the shoulder. Dorshe' managed to remove her fingers from their steel niches as she embraced Grem in a joyous hug that he willingly returned while R2 sang a celebratory song of hoots and beeps. The blissful moment was interrupted by another familiar voice that filled in the room over the comm. "This is the Virtuous hailing the Millennium Falcon." it was the raspy voice of Master Amtlar, now in a more content tone to contact their own. ".Millennium Falcon what is your status?" Yoda tapped the comm. panel in response. "We're just fine Baldos, just Fine!" he smiled broadly then he remembered the children now contained in the Falcon's lounge. "We have taken on some passengers Master Amtlar, I wish to request landing permission to board the Virtuous." "What kind of passengers?" Yoda didn't need to sense the mon calamari's concern, it was quite evident in his words. "Children that were kidnapped by the Sith. No threat to anyone, just in search of a warm meal." Amtlar's tone grew into that of pure compassion. "We await your arrival Skywalker! Amtlar out!" "Setting a docking course for the Virtuous." Chevacca proclaimed as his paws glided over his navigation console. "Confirmed." Yoda complied. "I'm going to check on the young ones." Dorshe' said as she made her way out of the cockpit and to the lounge. Grem looked around, searching for one missing person, or rather one missing droid. "Where is 3PO?" That's when Yoda's eyes rolled back into his head. He knew exactly where the golden protocol droid was, and he could bet he also was aware of what he was doing.
Dorshe' sensed amazement and wonder coming from the closed hatch that led into the main lounge. It was a comforting sensation. She tapped the entry panel before the door slipped open. The Jedi master was delighted to see the mass of young people huddled around a shinny man of steel, who began to finish a story of a long, long time ago. ".With the Emperor dead and the Second Deathstar destroyed by the courageous Rebels. All the people on Endor, including the Noble Master Luke Skywalker and his long lost sister Leia celebrated into the waking hours of the morning with their new friends the Ewoks. They danced, they sang but most of all." Dorshe' listened with attuned attention to 3PO's final words. ".They were free!" and the children clapped and cooed with innocent amazement. "And they lived happily ever after! The End" he finished as the children began to clap and raise their tiny hands, as if to ask a question of their beloved school teacher. Questions the mind of a child would truly want to know like: How big was the Deathstar? Was Vader really Luke's dad? Was Leia Pretty? The queries almost overloaded C-3PO as the children flooded him with their angelic voices. Master Oden could only stand back, her body peering halfway through the doorway, absorbing the untainted essence that the children produced in the small room. She couldn't help but caress her stomach in a manner only harnessed by a mother's love in a moment with that only a mother could comprehend.
* * *
The Millennium Falcon's gangplank lowered to the sights and sounds of a brightly lit hanger deck full of celebration. Jedi pilots and crewmen alike put aside their disciplined demeanors long enough to enjoy the presence of their friends, because thankfully no lives were taken away from them in this battle. They cheered and danced to the songs projected over the Virtuous's internal comm. system and once the passengers of the Falcon exited onto the main deck. The roars of excitement were only enhanced ten fold. The children at first were fearful of these noises but were soon embraced and greeted by the pleasant faces of Jedi healers that would take them to more comforting surroundings. Which they willingly hugged in return hospitality, only sensing the calm loving emotions they projected as a sign of safety, but the healers let the children stay for the festivities as they were raised into the Jedi's arms and looked on with the same amazement Dorshe' had seen once before. In the mists of this great collection of exuberant Jedi, Saliv Romdel managed to squeeze past the mob, to embrace his former Padawan: Grem. The Seven foot reptile tightened his arms around his teacher's bulky jump suit that encased his human body and raised Saliv high off the ground in a loving embrace. Happy to see each other alive and well evident by the tears held back in Grem's large dark eyes. Yoda's smile was gleaming through his thick blonde beard as he noted his two family droids waltzing along with some maintenance bots and several other astromechs. Dorshe' could feel the loss of felt for the stolen clone but he was more than pleased to see his Jedi cohorts in such a state of ecstasy overcame any pain he felt before this battle. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it slightly to act as some small comfort for the bewildered man. Yoda turned his gaze to her then slid his hands around Dorshe', following suit with the other Jedi in yet another sweet embrace as fireworks blew from the exploding remnants of the Sith fleet that filled the open landscape I seen from the open docking port of the Virtuous's hanger deck.
* * *
Deep within the darkest depths of a planet far from what it seems to be in its outer appearance. Evil still dwelled and remained at work. For the Sith knew that while the Jedi had won the first battle in this war of which no one has ever seen before, but they have yet to win this war. Bretew entered the dark room which contained his Master along with an armored captain Fett standing in front of a tiny stasis tube that was based in the center of the void like room. The door sealed behind the nitko as he walked to the side of his Master. Noting that glowing lights of the embryonic chamber was the only collective essence of illumination in the entire room. Lighting the figures in it and not even touching walls, creating an illusion of a harnessed void within which they stood. "You summoned me my Master?" Bretew bowed as the cloaked woman gave him and indistinguishable gaze under her black cowl. "Yes Lord Bretew! It has become clear to me that Darth Sadist is no more and our fleet crippled by the Jedi forces." She said in a tone that neither reflected pleasure nor anger. "Yes my Master. Two of our vessels barely returned with their hulls intact and have reported our losses. The remaining members of the fleet received the order to activate their self-destruction subroutines and carried them to its end." He concluded while turning his sights to the suspended being before him. "No matter, all has happened for its reasons." She turned to Fett. "Thanks to the resources of the impressive Captain here, we have what we need right here." Fett gave no sign of glory when he received this compliment, the two Sith could not even sense any real emotions from him at all, except a hint of curiosity. "I do what I'm paid to do." "And so you shall be rewarded handsomely" she expelled in a dastardly manner of humor. "I sense you will serve our graces exceptionally in the near future." Fett then removed his helmet and focused his eyes on the glowing tube with a stone-faced expression more solid than his own protective headpiece. "If you do plan to insure my services indefinably, then there is one question I wish to ask before I join your 'graces'." "And what would that be?" the Master inquired already knowing exactly what Fett was referring to. "Who is that?" he pointed to the clone suspended in the glass tube in front of them. "Ah yes." the Sith woman rasped. ".that is the key to our past and our future glory. And the fall of the Jedi Order!" Bretew concluded knowing his master would never say it straight out. "That Captain, is the clone of Anakin Skywalker, also known to the Galaxy as Darth Vader!" And for the first time anyone had probably ever witnessed. Fett's eyes grew wide with shock as the Master's voice filled the invisible walls of the dark room with laughter only equaled by the darkness of her heart.
* * *
Coruscant, at dawn, the cathedral of Jedi temple was filled with every Jedi that could muster their way into the great expanse of the pillars and stain glass windows of bright entrancing colors that reveled in the lights from the morning sun. Before the great conference of Jedi, Master Yoda Skywalker, now dawned in his traditional Jedi robes, made his way through the pews and up to the primary platform where he would address his audience. Not only present in the room, but those who watched from there homes and on the large monitors mounted all over Coruscant's great squares, especially for the citizen's New Ossus along with other New Republic and Jedi respecting planets. Already sitting on the main lecture platform stood the respected leaders of the Jedi High Council, including Master Chevacca and Master Oden who would finally be leaving for her home world after this morning's gathering, next to her stood Master Amtlar and Supreme Forewoman Antilles of the Senate board of directors along with her four other chancellors, garbed in their most formal of attire. Yoda finally reached the steps of the long expanse as the audience waited patiently for his deliberations before glancing over to see his beautiful wife: Angel and his two children sitting in the first row next to their family droids C-3PO and R2-D2. Skywalker also saw the tall blue figure of Grem Venad sitting next to his the astromech with Master Romdel. This pleased Yoda to see such familiar people in his company to hear his words despite how honest and truthful. for they were words he didn't take joy in speaking. He sighed before finally stepping up to the podium and called upon the force to guide his voice through this morning's speech. "Good Day to you my fellow Jedi and Republic citizens alike." he opened in a tone not displaying emotional attachment to the subject at hand. ".It is with mixed feelings that I come before you all on this day to inform you of our recent time of conflict." He paused as fly holo-cams hovered around him, transmitting his every word and movement to homes and public screens all over the galaxy. "Recently the Jedi had become involved in several incidents against a once thought long dead race of beings, known by historical records as the Sith." He paused again allowing all those who haven't been informed of this news to let it sink in. "If the past has taught us anything of these Sith beings. It is that they are a force not needed in the universe one of darkness, hate and Evil. All their efforts thus far have failed, but we are now aware that in this skirmish there has only been one reported casualty." His voice fell silent as he sensed the pain of loss wincing from Master Oden. "But despite our loss, they have suffered many more. The Battle of the Rishi-Maze signified two things that will ever be etched into our history. It having been our first victory against the Sith and our first official confirmation of war." Yoda bowed his head slightly sensing the emotions of thousands upon thousands fill his consciousness. "While many of you might feel this is a war that best be left by the Jedi and the Sith. Many of you should consider the fall of the original Republic and the rise of the diminutive Empire for which the Sith were responsible" The Jedi in his presence fed Yoda all the strength he needed to keep him from bursting. "But I have faith that we will overcome this threat. Like our ancestors who survived the Empire and even the War of the Vong. I believe that we will defeat the Sith." He proclaimed. "For we are a strong people and we will never fall to evil again. This is the age of heroes, a day were men and women of all walks of life can unite and serve to better all, for the overall good of everyone. All I ask of you the people is to pray for a quick and swift end to this conflict. For many of us it could lead to much pain, but it could also lead." Yoda paused for an instant that he will never forget as the ghostly image of Quinlan Vos, a Jedi separated from him by space and time looked him in the eyes. Reminding him of what he said over two thousand years ago. ".to a time of everlasting peace." Yoda smiled at the Vos spirit, which returned the gesture with a smile all his own as he vanished back into the Force. "May The Force Be with us." Yoda concluded. ".Always!"