Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm winter day of Wednesday, March 2, 2022? I'm well, if a bit hungry from the start of Lent season, which means I can't have any snacks today. A shame, but not a big loss. No, the bigger loss is that I'm giving up candy for lent as my sacrifice, and I'm going to especially miss having dark chocolate for a while. Oh, and I finished Star Wars: Allegiance, and will soon get started on a book on presidential speeches. So, I know I said I would wait a bit before working on this chapter, but you should know about me and my constantly fluctuating thoughts by now, and I love this saga too much to let it lie around for long. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as it will begin or set the stage for many major players in the Alliance of Light, as well as a few conflicted players, at least for the moment. And I think I'll make it a lot longer than usual, if only to hopefully fit the trials into two or three chapters. Well, with those tidbits out of the way, I'd best get started on this chapter. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

Falleen, Port Nowhere

Within the Sith Observatory

"As soon as we're out of this hellhole, I'm going to need a nice, long sanisteam to get those putrid hounds' guts and stench off me! Maybe even a bath as insurance." Mirta repulsively groaned after she wiped the last bit of Tuk'ata gore off both of her gauntlets' retractable vibro-daggers, everyone else taking a brief breather after finishing off the last Sith hounds, allowing them to reassess their strategy.

"Don't think we're out of this yet, Mirta. This battle's hardly even begun." Vestara sadly spoke up, mournfully glancing at the fallen hounds she killed. Defector or not, she knew these beasts were only performing their ancient duty and wished there could have been a bloodless way to stop them, even as she knew this was only the start of their mission.

"An impeccable assessment, Miss Khai." Akku stoically agreed. "But I feel we need to reconsider our approach towards capturing and bringing down this hellish facility. I doubt even the thirteen of us can do this job all on our own against the small army they have here, along with liberating any poor souls imprisoned down here."

"Then we'll need to head to the command center and shut down the jamming field." Vestara continued that train of thought, before pointing out, "But we might want to create a diversionary team to split their focus and keep as much of the heat off the main infiltration team as we can take."

"A sensible idea." K'Kruhk agreed, with Leia nodding along. Hearing an ear-piercing howl come from the north hallway, he commandingly ordered everyone, "Here's the plan: Vestara, Ferren, Akku, Leia, and two Noghri will shut down the observatory's defenses and jamming field. The rest of us will hold off the Sith and draw them away from you."

Biting back any protests through remembering how her friends and allies could take care of themselves, Vestara nodded, allowing the team to split up and go through with their separate missions.

Five minutes later, after the Kesh-born human and her five comrades took a sharp turn to avoid a patrol by Sith-programmed Yuuzhan Vong Hunter droids, Vestara kept strong reign on her fears and playfully taunted, "We'll have to move fast, so you old fools just try to keep up."

"You can't fool me, Vestara. I know how you're as anxious to be here as all of us." Leia admonished her.

Eyes flashing with sympathy, even as the trio hurried down the hall, the Jedi Master sympathetically pointed out, "I can feel your emotions clearly through the Force and on your face, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why. You can win this fight and conquer your past. We all believe in you, and you're not as alone as you think this time around. Trust in yourself and the Force, and you'll be able to do just about anything you set your mind to."

Touched by Leia's compassion towards her, Vestara nodded, gratitude obvious to all through her eyes before Ferren interrupted, amusingly advising everyone with a whisper, "Come on. These droids and their masters will be on us soon with all your yammering."

Falleen Orbit

Aboard the Starhawk-class Battleship Mark I Etahn A'baht

Kiles saw the literal giant floating eyeball fly towards the decimated Sith fleet and knew from the intelligence reports Etahn provided the Dornean Navy from the Empire that the infamous Ship was entering the fray. The newly minted warship's sensors also indicated that Malleus's personal fleet was close behind him, a small but lethal fleet of Tof, Ssi-Ruuk, and Ebruchi warships, but the extra ships were at best, a minor annoyance when compared with Ship.

Recalling how the sentient vessel could conjure up any weapon by its commander simply imagining it, as well as act as a fleet coordinator for the enemy force. That would mean that the one-sided massacre between the Alliance and the One Sith, already costing the unprepared latter six battlecruisers and five escort ships, was about to become a more even battle.

At least, it would have been more even if each of the Dorneans' prized capital ships were not equipped with enough weapons to outfit about five regular Star Destroyers. They could easily destroy the Sith armada if they kept Ship and his Sith commander occupied long enough to avoid tipping the scales back in Malleus's favor.

Which was why moments ago, Kiles dispatched the elite Dagger Wing to keep Ship's focus on a more immediate and short-term threat over the overall battle. And he was about to send a Starhawk or two and three Xyston-class Escort Frigates to intercept and delay the Unknown Regions raiders long enough to render their help irrelevant.

No matter if Malleus and his followers survived, the Dorenans would be ready for whatever dirty tricks the Sith's would try to pull.

"General, the jamming field's just shut down!" A comms officer warned Kiles. "The signal's being flooded with terabytes of junk data, and-"

"Spare me the long-winded specifics and work quickly to get it back online!" Kiles cut off the explanation, even as he had two probable ideas on how this setback had occurred, neither prospect promising. "Have all ships form up and prepare for the real battle to start."

Oh, well. Part of him wanted a challenge in this grand return in the first place. Hopefully, it would not cost his people too much in blood and hardware to destroy the rest of this Sith fleet. Conversely, if Malleus and Ship were kept here for too long, then they would be unable to stop the liberation of Port Nowhere and the downfall of their evil monarchical puppets.

Well, he supposed it was all up to fate now, but the Dornean general had a feeling that this battle had already been decided for the righteous. Hopefully it would be as glorious as he hoped, but he was still going to take a few precautions to protect his men.

Aboard the Conquest

"I want a fleetwide damage assessment in my hands in the next three minutes, and a new and secure comm network established in ten!" Danial ordered his officers. With fleetwide comms back online, he and Irola got right to work in regaining control of their devastated disarray of a Force. Nearly a third of their fleet had already been lost before Malleus allowed them to rally, along with at least thirty Sith aboard their capital ships and starfighters, and now they needed to make the most of what they had left to eradicate this terrible menace.

But this was their only chance to deliver supernova-hot vengeance on their newest enemies, and thanks to the surprises the One Sith had prepared for this kind of battle, Danial and his two Sith masters were about to make the most of this newfound opportunity.

"I have damage reports coming in now." A comms officer anxiously reported. "We lost just about every ship in Battle Groups Fox and Delta, Battle Group Beta's suffering twenty percent casualties, and the Devastator's reporting that they're about to be ripped apart by tractor beams off the lead capital ships."

Tractor beams? How powerful were those monstrous hodgepodges of capital ships? Barely recalling the specifics of the brief scans the Conquest gleaned off the largest Dornean vessels, Danial decided that their wreckage could teach them enough about their capabilities, if they could bring even one of them down.

First things first, though. They had to whittle down their opposition, and Danial knew just where to hit them where it hurt the most. Fortunately, he was always willing to accept a bit of help when needed, especially when it was well-armed.

"Admiral, we have a new situation." A sensor officer reported. "The Dornean's lead battleships are deploying at least three dozen transports and gunships down to the planet's surface. And we're seeing four of their warships break off to escort them planetside."

So, the enemy was planning to send new arms and fresh troops to further undermine the Royal Family's hold on the planet. Fortunately, his new strategy could easily counter that. "Lady Irola, I need a secure feed with Lord Malleus right away. I have a plan to defeat these interlopers, and I'll need his help."

Falleen's Surface

Ten Kilometers Eastward of Port Nowhere

Aboard the MonAdapyne

Keyan saw the tactical feed of the ongoing battle for Port Nowhere, and he felt a kernel of anticipation begin to bloom. On both fronts, the Alliance was pressing its advantage against the Sith's allies, decimating the Sith-backed fleets while preparing their insertion teams to free Port Nowhere. The Jedi-backed force continued carrying their momentum with Haxim reached out to his subordinates in his Resistance to prepare for-scale war against the Axlan monarchy.

But with Malleus and his best fleet distracted by the Dorneans, and the latter sending down forces to assist Haxim's weakened armed forces, now might just be the time to jumpstart the final phase of Falleen's liberation.

With the intelligence provided to them by GAS agent Passik on the Sith Observatory and its heinous experiments on over a hundred of Falleen's citizens, coupled with King Redhan's withholding of vital goods in secure storehouses for extortion, Haxim and his private army had everything needed to incite a planetary insurrection against his family.

After the exiled prince finished briefing his commanders on the new plan and convincing any wavering Royal Family leaders to join the winning side, the coalition's elite units would support the besieged units already trapped in the cesspit of a shadowport that lay before everyone. With the three strike teams, Aurek, Besh, and Cresh, being hunted by the city's defenses while doing what they could to sabotage them, they needed help right away.

Keyan's commlink chimed three times, Haxim's signal that he was finished communicating with his followers. Now, the relief efforts for Port Nowhere could truly begin. Contacting the ship's hangar control and each command vessel in the combined fleet, he commanded, "All Port Nowhere teams, launch immediately!"

Port Nowhere, Inside the Eastward Wall

Saje Tasha, apprentice assassin and representative of the Anzati people in this Jedi alliance, took a moment to observe the bloody work done by her and her handcrafted daggers. Seeing five security officers, faces contorted in surprise as they choked on their own blood and fear of having their essence sucked out of them by the young woman.

A shame she could not face a worthier opponent now, or offer their Soup up to the ancestors, but there would be plenty of opportunities for such indulgences later down the line. Right now, she had a mission to finish, an unauthorized one her mentor, Rayder Seii, and his wayward Mandalorian nephew, had entrusted her with to sabotage a portion of the enemy's outer defenses for their advance, and overloading the eastern wall's automatic targeting matrix would be an excellent first step. As a master of stealth, she was one of the perfect choices for the Anzati to make a better name for themselves in this changing galaxy.

Setting the power core on a perpetual feedback loop until it destroyed itself while arming thermal detonators to keep her work intact, Saje activated her comlink while preparing to make her move for her next target. But the moment she turned around, she found herself at gunpoint by a middle-aged and blue-skinned Duros.

"Sorry, little brain-sucker, but I can't let you leave. At least, not without being in a pair of stuncuffs and undoing your little work." The Duros smirked with a toothy grin, giving the young Anzati enough time to recognize infamous Jedi hunter Soonpaa Bane from his many wanted posters.

Silently pressing on to buy for time, she flirtatiously asked, "You got a name, you wannabee Chiss?"

"I'm going to be your executioner if you don't do as I say and do it fast." Soonpaa growled. "We're both on a tight budget, and I won't ask again."

Noticing the bounty hunter turn off the safeties on his customized silver-colored heavy blaster pistols, Saje knew it was time to get serious. Silently readying herself with her people's ancient assassination techniques for her first true test on this world, she sternly advised Soonpaa, "How about you follow your own advice and get into your stuncuffs before I become your executioner?"

"Great, a comedian assassin. I must have gotten a rookie." Soonpaa rued. "Fine. I'll just have to do it all myself." Preparing to dispose of the intruder, he found himself caught off-guard by the swiftness of Saje launching herself right at him. Mere milliseconds before he fired, the assassin pulled out her vibro-sword to deftly slice through the cartridges of both blasters.

The resulting explosion from the discharge created enough force to blow both hunters away, with Soonpaa barreling out the door, and Saje right out of the transparisteel glass. Taking control of her momentum before activating her jetpack, she directed herself to a roof several stories lower from the wall's command center.

Gingerly lowering herself onto the roof to avoid giving her body any more aches, she thanked the Great Sea for deciding to buck tradition and learn how to utilize more modern equipment in case she could not attain assassination work and had to go into public bounty hunting. Either way her life might turn out, she could always benefit from learning new skills to supplement the fundamentals.

Hearing a familiar sound, Saje turned to see several security droids, appearing to be twelve aerial B-1 Battle Droids from the Clone War, flying right after her, each with a pair of rocket boots. Coward must have called for help. Saje realized.

Before she took aim, she saw a Shriek-class bomber fly right through the droids, and the cockpit was visible enough for Saje to see a familiar Jedi princess wave towards her.

Seeing the loading ramp open, Saje knew she owed Allana Solo and her family a freebie and promised to tip them off to any competitors that came after them before she flew right into the ship.

Mandalore, Kyrimorut

Inside the Starlight Cantina

"Then we are agreed on all facets of this alliance." Fett closed the discussion between the Alliance's representatives.

"Yes, I believe we have covered everything, Mandalore." Desmond agreed. "You, Parella, and I shall lead a joint command of our armies, with your havens open to our forces to supplement yours, and an equal sharing of intelligence and resources between each force."

The Imperial admiral surprised everyone breathing a giant sigh of relief and anxiously chuckling, "I honestly expected these negotiations to be much longer and involve more hostility from both sides."

"What, that's all? No violence and trash talking to add to the mix?" Goran joked. "Surely you know how we Mandalorians are a very lively bunch."

"Let's not, and say we did." Parella interjected. "I'll save all my energies and new combat strategies for the enemy. Now, if there's nothing else, I want to try some of the Roba Steak I smelt when I first came into this fine establishment before we return to our ships. Hopefully the owner can spare me a meal for the flight back."

"I second that." Ark agreed, eager to have some of that delectable meat himself after the tense deliberations.

"Not gonna happen." Iden, calmed down from her earlier outburst before returning alongside Venku for the last leg of negotiations, smirkingly shot down that suggestion. "Mera is very protective of her recipes and doesn't allow anyone outside her immediate family to eat outside her restaurant. Besides, she really enjoys seeing new customers taste her food for the first time. It helps her cope through this kriffing war."

"How would you know that?" Alia wondered.

"Because she had a whole leg of Roba and spoke with Mera before coming back down here." Venku conspiratorially whispered. "She may not look it, but she can eat her weight and then some, and strike up a decent conversation when she's not bound by duty and all that."

"Oh, like you're one to talk, Skirata." Iden quipped, having heard the murmuring.

Ignoring the three-way bickering, Daniel advised Boba, "If there's nothing else, Parella and I'll begin landing our reserve soldiers to supplement our defenses. We'll need to work quickly to form a cohesive fighting force from our disparate units before Lecersen and the Sith try to press their advantage on us. So that means we'll have to hit the Sith where they're weak, build up our forces for the inevitable grand battle to come, and do it in a few weeks."

"A good idea." Ghes concurred, pausing to suggest, "Didn't Palpatine Jr. have a few allies of his in reserve helping the Empire recover? Maybe we can call on some of them to help break the blockade."

"The Rodians and Tarisians, as I recall." Desmond pondered the idea. It would make more sense to have them out on the front lines instead of just playing peacekeepers. Of course, Grand Protector Janek the White, leader of the Rodian clans, would have at least a few Yuuzhan Vong in his security force due to his supposedly progressive policies, and having a few of the extragalactic exiles here would only exacerbate tensions between the various factions.

There would have to be a few tense negotiations on the finer points, but the admiral saw no problems with calling on a few reserves for helping resolve this civil war. Desmond nodded his agreement, "I'll reach out to Head of State Fel, and he'll see who's interested."

"A good start." Fett cordially agreed, hoping a miracle could follow for his followers. For the sake of his people and family, everyone had best come up many more good ideas coming in the weeks ahead. As dysfunctional as they all might be, the Mando'ade had been good to Fett, and he, a man who always paid his debts, owed them too much to let them die or be enslaved by the Sith's dupes now.

0900 Hours, Elona 25th, 59 ABY

Falleen, Port Nowhere

Within the Main Cargo Facilities

How do we constantly keep walking into these ambushes? Ben seethed while fending off a Deshade armed with a phrik-laced dagger before throwing a shipping crate on top of the lethal warrior.

Having already killed four of Malleus's top assassins that were part of this sneak attack, but losing five of his mercenaries in the process, this position was growing increasingly untenable for the Alliance team. Even Kix and Indigo's teams, despite delivering incredibly high losses to the city's defense network and Jedi hunters, at least ten enemies for every one of their teammates killed, were slowly being picked off one after another by their numerically superior foes, especially through enemy snipers that he could not retaliate against.

"Skywalker, sensors have picked up a dozen mortars coming in from the west!" A mercenary shouted out, catching Ben's attention before the Mortars flew right towards the battlefield. Before Ben could try to order a retreat, he noticed something unusual in their trajectory, seeing that they were not aimed for his position.

Still, not wanting to take any chances, Ben swiftly bellowed towards his seven remaining squad mates, "EVERYONE, TAKE COVER!"

Then, to the Jedi Master's abrupt shock, the Mortars flew hundreds of meters above his head to see the mortars impact against the buildings housing the Sith's snipers, blowing creating explosions with a wide enough radius and power to consume anyone in the residence in a blistering and all-consuming inferno.

Before Ben could contact his two fellow squad leaders to try and get an update, a stoic but firm voice came through, "I suggest you and your men evacuate this position, Master Skywalker. This entire district is about to be invaded and devastated by Alliance ships, and it would be a tragedy for you to be caught in the crossfires while your future wife is in trouble."

"How about a name or something, first?!" Ben shouted back to be heard over the fallout of the mortars' impact, ignoring the jibe at his love life.

"Rayder Seii, uncle of Captain Akku Seii II. I believe we met one or two times during our stay on this world." The voice professionally answered.

"Since when in all creation do master Anzati assassins rely on such a blatant and overt use of firepower over secrecy and stealth?!" Ben demanded, realizing that Akku must have called in his people for an off-the-books operation to undermine the enemy's hold on this city.

"When it involves the enemy's own weapons and generates more panic and confusion in their ranks to cover our tracks, it serves our purposes well enough." Rayder calmly commented, a hint of amusement entering his voice as he added, "I suggest you get going before this district's reduced to a smoking crater, and kindly leave our involvement out of your emergency reports for this battle's duration. General Solo and your Jedi princess of a cousin should be arriving in their bomber in the next three minutes, along with my latest apprentice. They will take you to where your girlfriend was last sighted and take command of your remaining followers."

"What about Aurek and Besh Teams?"

"Suffice it to say that Generals Farlander and Haxim have been given the greatest incentive possible to send an influx of reinforcements to the city, now that the Sith's defenses have been damaged enough to spare a few dozen more strike teams."

Take him to where Vestara was. As much as Ben was tempted to help her now, he knew that was not where he was most needed for the moment. Vestara was still with K'Kruhk, Mirta, and Aunt Leia, and they would do everything they could to help his love withstand the temptations and horrors of the facility below. If Ben got involved now, then it would only distract everyone already there and put his love at greater risk of slipping back to darkness, so he had to trust her to win against her demons this time.

Also, in the larger strategic picture, with the combined allied force still engaged in a multi-pronged war against the Sith's fleets and ground defenses here, he had to do what he could to minimize those casualties and deliver a quicker victory for the Alliance of Light. An ace of his capabilities would be especially valuable if most of the Jedi and commandos were being diverted to liberate the city.

Interrupting Ben's reflections, Allana impatiently shouted through the Force for him to get aboard the Phoenix Whirlwind, and he saw the ship hovering right before him. He must have been musing longer than he expected if his team was just about finished boarding without him.

Hopping aboard the Corellian-manufactured vessel, he felt himself being pulled into an endless abyss of evil, and knew exactly where he was being taken to, the last place he wanted to be right now.

Hurrying to the cockpit, Han welcomed his nephew, "Glad you could make it. We'll get you above the Observatory in three minutes, so be ready to move."

"You can't take me to Ves." Ben began, surprising both Solos. "I need to help the fleet, and that means getting a fighter. I don't want to cause her to fall, so-"

"Figured you'd say that with your stubborn attitude." Allana scolded him as she moved out of her copilot's seat. "But this isn't just about you trying to save Vestara, or even Grandma. There are hundreds of kids trapped down there, and we need every Jedi we can spare to save them from their torment. That means we're both going to help, and don't try to talk me out of this."

"You're okay with this?!" Ben exclaimed to Han, dismayed at his ignoring of Allana's absurd plan.

"She's a grown woman and full-fledged Jedi Knight, and we both know she can't be stopped when she puts her mind to something. You also know that those kids, your aunt, and girlfriend need you, so drop the self-sacrificing act and get ready to move. We're only going to get a few moments to drop you off."

Well, so much for letting Ves prove herself on her own now. Ben quickly lamented. But personal feelings aside, he knew the trapped children would need every liberator they could get to escape the Sith's prison, so he would focus his energies on that noble cause. That would be his focus until he was able to meet up with Aunt Leia and Vestara's team.

Chiss Space, Just Outside the Csilla System

Aboard the Cal Omas

Kral, longtime fighter and defender of freedom through serving the New Republic and its successor state, had been a witness to many inconceivable instances in his long and distinguished career. From an extragalactic species of invaders bent on converting its targeted galaxy into a bioorganic facsimile of their home, to the return of the Killiks under the command of a Nightsister-turned-Sith, and an entire planet of marooned Sith that briefly took over the Galactic Alliance, he had thought he saw it all.

But hearing from Mirax and Lowbacca how a clone of the infamous Grand Admiral Thrawn, the last of a whole batch of them, had pledged his forces in aiding their coalition had been a surprise the GA commander could never have expected.

Though he had access to the information provided by the Chiss's records on the original Thrawn, validating the prodigy's admirable and boundless devotion to protect his people until his eventual assassination, it was still a bitter pill to swallow from his Imperial service. It was tough enough knowing that his Empire of the Hand, Thrawn's personal project, an empire composed of his core network of Imperial loyalists and Unknown Regions denizens, still existed, and was aiding this anti-Sith war. He still remembered in his youth how much grief mere rumors of its existence gave much of the New Republic before its intentions were determined by two brave Jedi.

But with Thrawn's terrifyingly brilliant intellect still out there, was anyone safe? Kral did not know, especially how he now had to be sworn to secrecy to protect the clone's- Vurawn, he reminded himself- existence and work from countless potential detractors and enemies. That would be a monumental promise to keep, since he hated this grand level of clandestine work and intricate conspiracies, preferring to fight in the open and with honor over deception and secrecy.

Remembering his old naval disciplines, he knew he needed to take everything he learned in stride and work to prove how selecting him to aid their united efforts to fight the Sith's forces was not a wasted effort. In the memory of his son, killed during Second Galactic Civil War and Caedus's brief and mad rule over the Galactic Alliance, he would continue to fight for all Turl cherished, and the oaths father and son swore to uphold when they each joined the armed forces.

Interrupting his musings, Lowbacca growled to alert Mirax and Kral, bringing the vice admiral back to reality. Hearing that Vurawn and Ba'Kif wanted to speak with the two on a group of potential targets for the allied fleets, the navy officer prepared to excuse himself. If the two Chiss military leaders were about to have a secret meeting with their co-conspirators in the Alliance, then it would be unwise for Kral to intrude before they were ready to fully trust him. He could always ask his friends for the play-by-play after the meeting ended.

Mirax took the initiative and advised Kral, "Why don't you stay for the meeting? You know the people under your command better than Lowie and me, and we could benefit from your expertise in selecting a few crews to help the Chiss track down the raiders and infiltrate Vagar Praxut. Don't forget how we're all in this together and all that other mushy bantha poodoo."

The expletive word drawing a hearty laugh out of the aging Quarren, Kral proposed, "Very well. But only if you don't get all sappy like that, ever again." That earned laughs from both of Kral's friends before they accepted the holotransmission.

Just Outside the Batuu System

Aboard the Corellian Dreadnought Aidel Saxan

"How long until our groundside allies start to hold up their end of the bargain?" The Dreadnaught's commander impatiently asked the fleet commander. "It's only a matter of time before the Sith figure out we're here. Perhaps we should-"

"We still have another six hours until our opportunity to attack arises." The Valahari Province native sternly reminded the ship's captain. "Then, and only then, can the entire attack force consider making our presence known to the enemy blockade. Besides, the groundside infiltration teams still need to finish throwing the slave camps into disarray before we can take advantage of their weakness.

"I will not repeat this again, so listen carefully, everyone." The commander warned his crew. "If we are to aid the Jedi's newest coalition in obliterating the Sith's presence here and destroying their anarchist cult, then this operation will depend upon three key factors: cooperation with our allies, focus in defeating the enemy occupation, and patience in working to outmaneuver them.

Deciding to ground the ambitious captain back in reality and have a little bit of fun messing with him, the commander challenged, "Don't forget, if we don't follow these steps, then we'll only damage the Confederation's reputation and allow our rivals to get the better of us in any future negotiations. You wouldn't want our Galactic Alliance peers here to contribute more for the people here than we can do you?"

"No, Supreme Commander." The captain reluctantly agreed with Turr Phennir, the military commander of the Confederation's entire navy and the lower-ranking officer resumed her original task.

Even as he projected an air of confidence and certainty for all to see, Turr was inwardly pensive of the coming battle. The idea of working alongside the Galactic Alliance, a government whose predecessors he once considered illegitimate, was surreal and daunting enough for the onetime Imperial ace.

Unfortunately, although he could work and rally disparate groups to a singular cause, thanks to his work in unifying the Confederation's diverse force into a cohesive fighting unit and age and experience granting him wisdom, the same could not so easily be said for the former and the GA. Even eighteen years after the conclusion of the Second Galactic Civil War, there were still many lingering tensions and rivalries between much of each government's territories.

Greater hostilities still existed between the Hutts and Confederation after the slimy worms left the cause after the war's end when their rivers of profits dried up. Such bitterness could lead to any number of his men attempting vengeance against the Alliance of Light's young Hutt ally, Azzim Anjiliac Atirue, an outcome Turr had to keep from occurring.

While it was true that Turr had selected his crews and officers with care in their competence, psychological profiles, and professionalism to ensure a united front alongside the GA and Azzim, but private sympathies and potential mental health issues were often harder to pin down. That was especially true when thinking of the disgraced prime minister Fyor Rodan of Commenor, once a trusted ally of Turr's, after the foolish politician took a tenth of his planet's navy and followed Admiral Daala in a mad exodus from the known galaxy.

If even one soldier or officer, either for the GA or Confederation, decided to go on a private crusade, then all could be lost for this grand pan-government alliance. At this point, all Turr could really do was hope for the best from his people, and work to set a good example for his fleet alongside the GA's counterpart.

He prayed that his ally in the GA would be able to do the same with her forces. With the GA's newest rear admiral being a decade-long protégé of Nek Bwau'tu, it gave him high hopes for the desired outcome, given the species' brilliant minds and longevity. After all, considering how the last best-known Aporthad was Raze, a leader of a massive galactic information network and piracy gang for decades, Kara had to be treated with great care.

Despite the fears and discrimination poured her way, or perhaps because of this prejudice, Kara was able to summon the courage and willpower to pass every background check thrown her way, steadily rise through the GA Navy's ranks, and earn the trust of Nek Bwua'tu and his virtually impeccable assessment of one's character. With her already impressive efforts in anti-piracy and peacekeeping operations across a dozen sectors in the Outer Rim and Expansionary Region considered by most to be career-breaking postings, he was optimistic that she would not disappoint.

Batuu Surface, Morandi Forests

Aboard the Quarren Eye

Din observed the setup in this yacht, and his trained eye, augmented by his helmet's ID system, saw that the total sum of equipment in Wraith Squadron's longest headquarters. Forty-eight, maybe even sixty highly advanced and likely illegal pieces of technology were scattered around every corner that Din was allowed access to. Quickly crunching the numbers in his mind, the total sum of equipment could probably power a large city with its overall energy output, or maybe buy a small moon if they found the right buyers.

And the squad's biofabricator, a Yuuzhan Vong with an odd nickname of "Scut" who was raised by human parents during his people's war, probably had dozens of his experiments underway in the ship's secure recesses.

Putting all this together with the ship's custom and state-of-the art security system against cyberwarfare, military-grade tactical systems and holotables, multiple weapons systems including a limited arsenal of ion and proton bombs, light turbolasers, made the Quarren Eye a mobile command center any military would be desperate to get its hands on. And all of this was in the hands of a band of misfits under the head lunatic's unofficial command as a secret weapon in the GA's arsenal.

If this squad ever decided to go freelance, Din would make sure they would quickly be sought after by every Mandalorian clan, if only to employ their secrets and invaluable sack of skills to ensure the Mandalore Sector's post-war recovery and continued resurgence. He was even tempted to make the business pitch on behalf of his clan himself after this war ended in a joint victory.

Nevertheless, before any potential offers could be made, there was a Sith-backed blockade to finish destroying, an enslaved planetary occupation to undermine, and eons-old secrets to uncover within this planet's oldest and most mysterious ruins before the enemy got the ultimate prize that they coveted on this world.

With the large-scale mining of several vital minerals, like Doonium and Cortosis, for construction of starships and weapons in the Sith's growing arsenal hitting an all-time high, the Alliance needed to step up their efforts in sabotaging and distracting Dician from her ultimate endgame. That was where their latest plan came into play.

With two-thirds of Wraith Squadron assisting in the liberation of the Sith's four largest slave camps and assassinating a dozen of Dician's top officers, Voort had allowed Din and a select few of the Batuu Resistance to help him and his remaining three members man the essential stations. Typically, an operation of this scale for the secret commando squad would require at least a couple weeks of scoping out the target, gathering intel on any weaknesses in their command structure, patrol routes, equipment, the enemy's infrastructure, and manpower.

Fortunately, their allies in the local resistance having a detailed overview on the nerve centers of the Sith's slavery operations in their cult, giving them all they needed to speed along their timetable.

Coupled with their new and intelligent Hutt friend having a steady flow of slicers and credits, eight captured fools hoped to leave Batuu in exchange for information on Dician's enemies, and malleable guards allowing a new batch of recruits to start overseeing the slave efforts in mining lodes of ores, everything was in place to liberate the tens of thousands of innocents from their captivity.

Lastly, with the Confederation and GA fleets preparing to attack Admiral Tonith's already-diminished blockade, it was almost time for the Wraiths and their latest batch of friends to unleash their ultimate surprise on the orbiting fleet. In a matter of hours, all chaos was about to break loose on Batuu, and the war to destroy the Freedom's Riches in their fortress world would come to its climactic end.

Within the Sith Observatory

Just Outside the Dormitory Levels

"Still no signal to the outside or Leia's team?" Phasma panted to Gorim after overhearing complete static through the Mandalorian's comlink, only to get a sad shake of his head as a response while the human woman drove her saber into the control panel for the three-layered durasteel doors guarding the dorms for the prospective Sith children. "Then we need to make our stand here and hope for the best."

Without being able to sense the infiltration team's position through the impenetrable miasma of darkness over the last ninety minutes, K'Kruhk and Phasma had decided to press on and try to prepare for the liberation of this facility's collection of kidnapped children on their own, a task that was proving to be more daunting than both Force Users and their teammates expected.

Having cut down or blasted through dozens of Sith guards, ancient and refurbished war droids, and Dark Side beasts throughout their two hours of a diversion, the strike team was beginning to see how Krayt's disciples had taken complete advantage of the generous space available for weeding out any unwanted intruders. One of Leia's Noghri had been ripped into countless pieces after shielding Phasma from a hidden railgun half an hour ago, and another was reduced to a charred husk not five minutes later while protecting K'Kruhk from a combined Force-generated storm of lightning from several now-dead acolytes.

Even as Phasma and K'Kruhk led their team with near perfect coordination and cunning, given how both ex-Sith and veteran Jedi Master were kindred spirits from their unique struggles to survive against a hostile galaxy, no one group could hold out forever against a virtually endless tidal wave of enemies. They needed a temporary haven to regroup and replenish their strength and supplies against the staggering opposition arrayed against them.

Hopefully, the main level for the imprisoned younglings would have medical equipment and food to tend to the cuts and burns for the exhausted Alliance members, or a hidden armory that could replenish their arsenal of anti-Sith weaponry. At the very least, the dorms could double as a fortress to continue keeping the Sith's attention on them and not the main team.

"Madame Phasma, Master K'Kruhk, you need to see this." The final Noghri, Ireak, imploringly warned the two Force Users, pointing through a glass window. "I believe the Sith have allowed us to learn their ultimate purpose for this Observatory's existence, and it is truly despicable."

"As if we don't have enough of that already." Gorim despairingly murmured while plugging into a nearby terminal to pilfer what data he could from its systems and hopefully slow down their remaining pursuers.

Feeling the sole surviving Noghri's fury and horror at whatever she saw, K'Kruhk and Phasma hurried over to her, and they felt their jaws fall slack open at the depravities of what lay before them. At least now, they understood the nexus of agony and heartbreak that flooded their awareness in the Force.

The Observatory's dormitories were home to many heinous pieces of equipment designed to torture every child tragic enough to be trapped down here. These methods included incredibly diverse methods, from heavily modified and highly illegal IT-O interrogator droids, cutting apart several defiant acolytes, and isolation from their peers to more exotic tools including modified Ssi-Ruuk entechment tables and about a half dozen of the most heinous torture devices of the Yuuzhan Vong, their Embrace of Pain.

The footage continued, breaking every viewer's heart, and enraging them to new heights by showing several Sith Sorcerers and Inquisitors conducting all manner of sadistic Force-based torture meant to break down the kids' resistance. Unleashing bolts of lightning on rebellious souls, subjecting them to nightmarish scenarios that preyed on their worst fears, and choking several young children into unconsciousness when they failed the impossible standards set before them.

The footage ending, Phasma nearly fell to her knees, feeling sick throughout her being upon realizing how she had betrayed everything she cherished, all in the name of avenging ancient vendettas by working for an order that had destroyed countless lives, just as hers and her people was by greed and compromise.

A large three-fingered hand touched her armored shoulder, and she turned to face K'Kruhk's sympathetic gaze, "There is still time to save these children. We can liberate them and work to rehabilitate them with their families' help. It's our duty to get them the recovery they deserve."

"How do you know?" Phasma despondently asked, remembering how far she fell into the darkness and all she had ruined before she fought her way out, and knew that not everyone was as strong-willed as her.

"Because the both of us, along with all those we care about and have forged bonds with, will aid their healing. Just like you will try to do for your brother." K'Kruhk sagely pointed out, words that touched Phasma and allowed her to hope how she might be able to reach Keldo yet.

"That's all well and good, but it won't mean anything if we can't get those children out of here before the Sith finish their work on them." Gorim disgustingly spat, handing both Whiphid and Human a datapad. "You need to see this, and then we need to find a way to save these kids and blast this place into atoms."

Quickly scanning the first batch of files, both survivalists found the device containing a set of orders and communication logs marked for Darths Haxar and Nox from the Observatory's commanding Sith Lord, a Columi who called himself Darth Oculus, a Sith Phasma had no experiences or information on.

Darth Haxar. That was a name K'Kruhk dreaded hearing, remembering her as his greatest failure as a teacher and Jedi Master. A woman originally named Sidirri and a Jedi Youngling under his care before she fell to the Dark Side over the trauma from the first few months of the Great Jedi Purge and eventually fled his care and later joining the One Sith to become one of Krayt's most powerful and vicious Inquisitors.

Reading through the logs, both Jedi and ex-Sith saw what had enraged the Mandalorian so much. This place was more than a training camp, it held many Sith treasures meant to rewrite a person's personality into a blank slate to be filled with the Dark Side. And there was also research into cybernetics, research that was so heavily encrypted that it might take a dozen supercomputers to make a dent in the software.

Phasma suddenly figured out the Sith's strategy for Falleen, and it made her blood boil, even as it made a twisted sense to the survivalist in her. Krayt and his scientists were planning to turn the broken children from here into Force-wielding cyborgs as part of a massive armed buildup in their bid to take over the galaxy.

As soon as the children were extracted, and the facility's data was taken to track any related laboratories, both Phasma and K'Kruhk vehemently promised to ensure this structure was destroyed, even if it meant blowing away the city encompassing it in the process. Nothing from here could afford to remain standing if it meant preventing its evil from being duplicated anywhere else.

Their resolve was interrupted when they read the final transmission log, saying how the Sith overseer put the temple into full alert and went to the command center to await his enemies. That meant Vestara, Leia, and the others were walking right into a trap, and with the comms and Force blackout, there was nothing anyone could do to help them except hope for the best.

Hearing a distant bang emerge from a turbolift to the group's right, everyone realized that in their fatal distraction, they forgot to lock down the lift's controls.

Phasma broke the preparations for this new assault by holding out a hand, "Stay your hand. We've got a few of your Jedi friends coming to assist us."

"I thought you couldn't sense anything beyond a few dozen meters?" Gorim skeptically reminded her.

"Not with the blazing signatures of Ben and at least two more Jedi coming down this route. It's like seeing the sun start breaking through a terrible monsoon." Phasma metaphorically pointed out.

"Quite an excellent and eloquent analogy." K'Kruhk complimented, moments before the wide turbolift opened to reveal their reinforcements in Ben and a Jessar and Yarkora in Jedi Knight robes that no one recognized.

Accompanying them were four freelancers they never expected, Robonino, Jarael, Bralo, and Parja, the Patrolian bounty hunter armed with the tricks of his trade in weapons and slicing equipment, and Iskalloni medic having sashes and a backpack full of medical gear along with her blasters and tranquilizer darts. The two young Mandalorians, to round this group off, were wearing their traditional light beskar Mandalorian armor and equipped with vambraces and customized WESTAR-34 blaster pistols.

"Thank goodness we're not too late." The Jessar breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing their contemporaries relieved to see them.

"Do not assume anything just yet, Jedi Kiea." Bralo pointed out. "None of us can see our buir, your ba'buir, Vestara, and the rest of our friends, and we need to find them before it's too late."

"Too late for what?" Gorim worriedly repeated. "Why do I think we need to compare notes?"

"Where are they?" Ben anxiously pressed. "Have they gone to the command center?"

"Yes. That is exactly right." Ireak nodded. "Lady Vader and her comrades are trying to shut down the jamming field and take control of this facility to save these children from their terrible fate. We have been, as you would say it, 'running interference' for them and have uncovered much of the Sith's plans."

"Then we must reach them before they're all under his sway." The Yarkora frustratingly growled. "But we still cannot allow the imprisoned here to stay in this hellish abomination."

"Under whose sway?" K'Kruhk tried to get a more detailed answer out of anyone.

"A Sith with a nasty knack for mental manipulation and is apparently the ultimate mastermind behind the One Sith's horrid galactic network of mini-temples. We need to divide and conquer so we can liberate these kids and save our friends. We all know a bunch of us are worried about their loved ones." Robonino answered, tactfully ignoring the glares now pointed towards him.

"Good luck getting through the small army behind those doors." Gorim skeptically warned the newcomers. "We've got at least fifty enemies trying to pry their way through, and three hundred children to liberate."

"First things first. Before we plan our next move, let's get you all patched up." Jarael pulled out one of her backpack's medkits. "Master K'Kruhk, if you can lend me your medical expertise, it would be invaluable in speeding our mission along."

"Of course." The Whiphid humbly agreed. "The sooner we are all taken care of, the sooner we can help and rescue our friends and the trapped souls down here."

"Good. Ben, I need you to help Ireak and Phasma with their injuries." Jarael ordered. "Robo, see if you can break through the jamming field for all our teams. If we're going to take this place down, then we need to be at our best and have tight coordination between everyone."

"Right." Both men said before getting to their duties.

"Hang in there, Ves. Please, don't lose your way." Ben silently pleaded through the Force while preparing to examine the two women's wounds.

Phasma took a moment to console him, "Have a little faith in your love. She has a stronger will than you give her credit for, and so much more to fight for than just you this time."

"How did you-?" Ben astonishingly asked before the older human interrupted,

"I don't need the Force to see the desperation in your eyes, or the worry over a loved one." Phasma amusingly admitted. "When this battle is over, I will tell you all about my brother, his fall from grace, and my hopes to save him from the Sith."

1000 Hours, Elona 25th, 59 ABY

Just Outside the Command Center

"Three people are still on the other side of this door." Poldar, one of the Noghri accompanying Leia, warned his contemporaries. "But I do not recognize any of their scents."

"Any Sith in the mix?" Akku asked the two Sith defectors as he worked to slice through the three layers of cortosis doors blocking their way. After weaving their way through five defense webs, evading countless security drones, and silencing any Sith beasts that would have given away their mission, the infiltration squad was almost at their target.

"Hard to say, but that would be an educated guess." Vestara gritted out, sweat dripping down her forehead from the increasing mental strain as they grew closer to this dark presence. "Stang, it's getting harder to even think down here."

"I have a hunch I know exactly who's to blame for that." Ferren wearily groaned. "Darth Phobar."

"A little more info, please, and try to make it quick." Mirta testily asked.

"He's a scheming Columi that preys on a person's mental insecurities through Sith sorcery to compensate for his limited offensive capabilities, making him a brilliant strategist and expert on psychological warfare." He explained.

"So, just like the Qreph brothers, only loaded with Force energy like they wanted to be." Leia disgustingly surmised, with Mirta and Vestara sharing a look of remorse for their despicable work they did when under the two Columi's employ.

"Does he have any weaknesses besides his inability to wield a lightsaber?" Mirta sneered.

"He can do just that with the Force." Ferren clarified. "In fact, he can even wield up to three with his mind if he wanted. But I never found any flaws in his strategies."

"Then we'll have to improvise and face him head-on while we still have the strength." Vestara groggily reminded everyone.

"Isn't that the story of our lives? Well, at least you won't be on your own this time around." Allana's chipper voice came through, surprising everyone to see her, Tesar Sebatyne, and a mix of at least twelve Falleen commandos and Mandalorians accompanying the two Jedi, along with General Orellios and five of his Lira San royal guards bringing up the rear.

"What are you doing here, Allana?!" Leia all but shrieked towards her granddaughter. "You're supposed to be with your grandfather!"

"Someone had to come and save your hides." Allana mischievously quipped, before seriously amending, "Farlander and Haxim got word on what this temple's full capabilities are, and they sent in a bunch of teams to ensure this place is shut down for good."

"But why you?" Vestara worriedly clarified. "If the Sith capture or kill you…" She left that thought unanswered, given the Jedi Queen prophecy that could tip the balance of the Force surrounding Allana, and a modicum of guilt flashed through her eyes, remembering how she selfishly revealed it to the Lost Tribe on Coruscant before ultimately joining up with Krayt's One Sith.

"I'm not going to sit by and let my friends and family fight a war without me. It's what I signed up for when I joined the Order, and that's just not what I'm about, whether as a Jedi, Chume'da, or anything else." Allana passionately denied.

"We can argue about your grandkid's place in this war after we take care of this big brain of a Sith and free those kids!" Garazeb angrily interceded. "The longer we wait, the more of our people and innocent civilians are gonna be killed in the battle going on right above us."

Nodding, Ferren agreed, "He's right. Besides, we'll need all the help we can get in a minute."

Relenting, Leia warned Allana, "We'll talk about this later."

Seeing the younger woman stoically shrug, Leia was reminded of how proud of Allana's growth as a woman and leader and reminded herself how she could no longer control her. She was a full-fledged Jedi Knight and adult and could make her own decisions. All her family could do was try to be there for her in her moments of triumph and weakness while hoping for the best.

But the time for talking was long over. Now, it was time to finish shutting down this evil tomb of a temple, and nothing was going to stop this diverse force, just as Akku got up from his knees to report, "That should do it. The doors will be open in two minutes, max. Everyone had better get ready."

Batuu, Within the Black Spire Ruins

Inside the Sith Command Center

Within Xasha Xizor's Personal Quarters

Xasha was combing through file after file through access to Dician's private library, hoping to find something, any kind of reference or lead to validate her hypothesis on an unseen force manipulating the latest Jedi-Sith war to achieve their mysterious goals.

If a new enemy was set to make their grand debut into the galaxy, or Abeloth was preparing for her full resurrection, then the galaxy had to be ready to face them.

Of course, she would share her files with both the Jedi and Sith, risking her cover and life to try and postpone the ancient feud between both religious Force orders to face a common enemy. She hoped that if they were all forced to work together to save the galaxy from utter destruction, they might be able to find some common ground and end their war for control of the galaxy.

It might be a faint belief on the Falleen double agent's behalf, true, but it was the shared dream of countless souls that this cycle of fighting could one day be broken for good.

Interrupting her brave aspirations, two chimes came up from one of her datapads, both marked as urgent by both her second-in-command, the only person she trusted with her traitorous status, and Liara, one of Dician's Sith acolyte and the only Sith on the planet on friendly terms with the duplicitous priest. Taking a break from her research to examine its contents, she knew that her position in Dician's command structure was about to come under terrible scrutiny, maybe even as far as to be ousted as a spy.

The first message from her lieutenant revealed how the leader of Sith Intelligence was calling in a convoy of medical and troop transports from her cult by the next two days. Dician must have made another breakthrough in penetrating the Rakatan vault and was preparing to transport them to Korriban or another haven for recovery.

The second message stated how Liara noticed several anomalies in the guard rotations for four of the slave camps and requested Xasha to spare a few of her top analysists to help her uncover the discrepancies. If Liara discovered how she helped the Alliance insert their teams into the mining operations, then it could jeopardize their liberation efforts, not to mention sign her death warrant or worse. She would have to take a break from her research and work to slow down the acolyte's investigation.

Regardless of her potential incoming doom, this batch of information had to be made available to the Batuu Resistance and Alliance of Light as soon as possible. They had to hurry their efforts to destroy this mad cult and put an end to the planetary operations for good, which meant Xasha had to risk an encrypted burst transmission to the Morandi Forests. It was too dangerous to send a message off-planet and risk tipping off Dician to the inbound Alliance invasion fleets.

"Ah, the life of a traitor."Xasha ruefully lamented. "Full of deception, skirting death's dark shadow, and turning your back on everyone who trusts you."

Dathomir, Ros Lai Outpost

Just Outside the Training Dome

"I see you were able to get precisely your fair share of rest, dear." Adari teased a drowsy Edaan before she warned him, "Are you sure you're ready to begin? Once you go through these doors, I won't be able to help you with your trials in any way. You'll be on your own, cut off from all support unless your life signs drop to critical levels."

Glancing down at the silver bio-band attached to his wrist, designed to monitor his condition, as well as ensure Edaan did not push himself to death's door while training, Adari felt another murmur of fear and guilt reverberate through her chest. Even if the session was not about to begin, she already deeply regretted having to put him through this ordeal to test his spirit's resolve, despite knowing how this had to be done to protect her husband from the coming battles and his inner darkness.

Giving Adari's hand a quick and gentle squeeze, Edaan confidently nodded, "I am. I'm a bit afraid but taking comfort by knowing how I won't be alone. I've got you rooting for me, a lot of friends waiting for us, and a recovery to continue when all this is done."

Before Adari could playfully chastise him, Edaan, in a humbler voice, continued, "And more importantly, I owe it to myself and all those I neglected to see these trials through to the end. I can't afford to back down now, especially not when our friends are risking everything to fight against the Sith for a free galaxy. And I especially owe it to you and my…" Wiping a few stray tears escaping his eyes, he finished, "my family to honor all that you've done for me and the galaxy's innocents and continue your legacies.

"Don't forget, before we re-enter the battlefield, I need to assess my skills and resolve without the help of my six deceased masters. If I don't see how far I can go against enemies as dangerous and dark as the Sith before I'm ready, it'll spell disaster for everyone in the galaxy. I don't need to tell you what, or whom, I'm talking about here." Edaan dangerously alluded to his conclusion.

"Yeah. We don't need another like him trying to enslave the galaxy." Adari anxiously concurred. Although she had not lived through the horrors of Darth Sidious's reign, she learned much of his paranoia, insatiable lust for power and lack of regard for anyone other than himself, and his endless manipulation of the galaxy for his demented soul to make her fear that kind of being. It was that same kind of thinking that doomed her planet and people to millennia of slavery and a cycle of Sith-backed betrayals before its long-awaited liberation by the Jedi and their allies.

How ironic, then, that she quickly fell in love with and married the sole remaining descendant of the most dangerous and powerful Sith Lord out of three generations.

"Well, May the Force be with you, my love." Adari wished her husband luck before being pulled into a gentle kiss.

Slowly pulling away, Edaan smiled and lovingly told Adari, "When this war is all over, you have to promise me two things, two nonnegotiable terms."

"Just name them." The violet-haired and skinned woman wholeheartedly agreed, trusting her soulmate and knew she was not about to commit to anything absurd.

"For starters, we have a proper honeymoon when we win. As sweet and thoughtful as this retreat is, it's not a genuine vacation." He firmly said.

"Deal." Adari nodded, knowing they both could use a genuine period of recuperation after they helped save the galaxy. Perhaps a beach world, or maybe a return to Dathomir and seeing this majestic world in all its ancient wonder. On the other hand, Kesh and her people could probably use more help in recovering from their Sith's enslavement, and she could show Edaan all her world had to offer while not on the run from any enemies. Honestly, it did not really matter, as long as she was with her love and continued to build stronger bonds with him.

"After that, we can see about having a child or two to start our family." Edaan bashfully finished, stunning his wife into absolute silence. The silence was too much to bear, he earnestly laughed before clarifying, "Remember, I did say we'd do that after we have our honeymoon, and the galaxy starts settling into a new era of peace. I do have a series of ordeals to begin and old wounds to overcome, for starters."

"Yeah. I don't think I'm ready for having or adopting children right now." Adari anxiously laughed, even as she watched Edaan start walking into the training dome until her comlink vibrated, and she recalled her obligations for the next few days.

"Oh, Edaan. You're going to be the death of me after all." Adari amusingly lamented, rushing to her station alongside Master Malicos and the rest of the outpost's staff, all the while praying to Edaan's gods to keep him safe and sane through his trials. She felt in her heart how he, and everyone close to him, would need the Force and every cosmic blessing they could get for whatever came next in this dark galactic war.

After hearing how Kam Solusar helped him realize his greatest flaw, she and Taron had reworked their strategy to better test Edaan, and they had come up with many promising, and borderline disturbing, results that would absolutely push the young man to every single limit he ought to possess.

Honestly, Adari was completely grateful that Taron was on the Jedi Order's side. If a creative lunatic like him served the Sith, then it would be an ultimate battle of wits and misdirection to see who came out on top. Celestials' willing, no one in all of creation would have to witness such a contest.

Well, I think this is a good place to stop the chapter! What did you think, as it only took me a week to write over 10k words in this chapter? I hope it works well, as I plan to step up my efforts to complete this story in the next few months, while wrapping up a lot of battlefronts and escalating others. If you like it or have constructive criticism to share, let me know through a review. So, how are you all doing on this fine morning of Tuesday, March 8, 2022? I'm well, as I leave for work in less than an hour and will hopefully have a good and productive time there. I hope to get this chapter up in a week or so, but I'm prepared to wait longer, if need be, given my beta reader's busy schedule. Well, I believe I've said enough. I hope you all have a blessed day, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

(Thursday, March 10, 2022, Addendum.) Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this cool and cloudy day? I'm well, as I finished my final shift at work for the week a couple hours ago, and I have been relaxing at home for a bit. I also decided to check my chapter myself primarily to give my friend a break, as he's working hard on his own works, and I didn't want to put any more pressure on him for a bit. I found it mostly well, so I decided to publish it tomorrow.