Chapter 1

The Lambda-class shuttle glided throughout the skies of Byss, casting its shadow on the dusty ground several meters below. Its wings slowly ascended as the landing gear descended. The white-armored Stormtroopers swiftly marched out onto the landing pad, their E-11 blaster rifles held securely to their chests. The red-robed members of the Royal Guards marched to the now landed shuttle's boarding ramp in two lines and faced each other.

A hoverchair silently moved onto the landing pad, its rider flanked by four black-armored Stormtroopers. His features hidden by the outline of a starry field, an illusion created by the image distortion device implanted on his hoverchair. The figure stopped near the shuttle and waited.

With a hiss of decompressing air, the boarding ramp lowered to the ground. A pair of Royal Guardsmen were first, and they came to rest outside of the shuttle and faced the distorted figure. The assembly on the landing pad bowed as the Emperor finally stepped out of the shuttle. The blond form of Emperor Palpatine, clad in black robes, was flanked by the form of Luke Skywalker. A smile came to the distorted figure's face as he watched the former thorn in his side now at the side of Palpatine.

"Milord, congratulations on your success. There is good news here as well, The Project is so far on schedule but it will still be a long time until it is fully operational."

Palpatine nodded.

"Very good, Lord Cronal. Return to your work and alert me if anything significant happens."

The seated figure bowed in his hoverchair, and soon left the landing pad with his black clad guards. Palpatine turned to his new apprentice.

"The Rebellion will be on its knees in no time, my young apprentice. And soon, the Empire will return."

"Yes, Master. We shall crush them, but where shall we start?"

"Chandrila.

Mon Mothma stared wearily at the tactical screen in front of her. The recent battle of Mon Calamari and the destruction of the World Devastators had been costly. Rogue Squadron had lost a few pilots, including long time member Kasan Moor, and other squadrons had suffered even worse casualties. And that wasn't counting the civilian casualties.

"Chief Mothma? Are you alright?"

She turned around and faced the Mon Calamari Supreme Commander Admiral Ackbar.

"I'm fine. It's just the latest casualty reports from Mon Calamari have come in. It's not good."

Ackbar nodded.

"And now with the Empire moving towards Chandrila…"

"Yes. I have ordered an evacuation, what do you suggest on a military front?"

"I recommend sending several Mon Calamari cruisers, two Star Destroyers as well as Rogue Squadron."

"I agree. What are we looking at in terms of resistance?"

"So far, spies have reported at least two World Devastators…"

"May the Force be with us."

"I hope it will be, we've been trying to recall Captain Katarn. However, he has not been seen since Altyr 5."

"Any word on where he is?"

"None."

Kir Kanos bowed deeply as Luke Skywalker entered the throne room, and then returned to his post. He watched as the former Jedi entered the room, and watched as he bowed toward Palpatine.

"You asked to see me, Master?"

"Yes. It is time you received your full promotion to a Sith Lord. Pledge yourself to my teachings, I can teach you the secrets to all of the power your previous masters were afraid to show you. I will show you the full power of the Dark Side!"

"I pledge myself to your teachings, Master."

"Arise, Skywalker, and take your place among the great Sith of the past!"

"But Master, what of the other Sith? She is still alive."

"She is of no concern to us. After the Rebellion has been crushed, we shall find her and eliminate her!"

"As you wish, my Master."

Kanos had to smile as he heard Luke Skywalker's conversion to a Sith. Yet he had a feeling that this elusive third Sith that Palpatine had mentioned would pop up again later, when they all least expected her to.

The hangar bay of the Republic Star Destroyer Organa bustled with the activity of pilots and numerous flight crew personnel as they prepped the X-Wings for their upcoming battle.

Keyan Farlander overlooked his new squadron, watched as the numerous Rogues quickly finished checking their starfighters and soon they were entering the fighters, ready to stop the World Devastators.

Through the Force, he could feel the nervousness of the pilots. Ten years ago, he felt similar feeling among a group of pilots, before the attack on the Death Star. He had been one of the few survivors of that dreadful mission, and had been the only survivor of Gold Squadron.

As he entered the cockpit of his X-Wing, he couldn't help but picture the World Devastators outside of the ship, and he could almost feel them slowly approaching Chandrila.

"I have a bad feeling about this…"