Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm day of Monday, March 28, 2022? I'm well, if a little tired from working a good shift today. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to publish Ch. 20 of this story, both due to several unforeseen circumstances and my growing desire to up my game in writing, so to speak. See, I want to improve my writing, especially my plot-managing and action scenes to be more like a professional author's, such as the late Aaron Allston and other legendary people in the Star Wars community, which means that after I finish this chapter in 10-15 chapters, I plan to take a small hiatus to better plan out the rest of my saga, as well as read more books and stories to see what I can learn from them. I already have a great trilogy to read soon to help start those self-improvement efforts, The Stormlight Archives, after I read two or three additional Star Wars Legends novels. I have a hunch I'll like the upcoming trilogy, based on what I've heard from friends all over. In other news, I've been writing a bit of the next interim chapter, planned to be published after this one, or the one after that, so I will at least have a good overview of what I want to do with the story going forward. Well, with all this out of the way, I'd best get started on the first draft. I hope you all have a blessed day, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
1100 Hours, Galactic Standard Time, Elona 25th, 59 ABY
Falleen, Port Nowhere
Aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer Reprisal
Idenn Axlan, fifth in line for the throne of Falleen and one of his father's most trusted servants, found himself overwhelmed by his ruler's sheer idiocy and the sheer magnitude of opposition arrayed against the prince's personal task force.
Having been ordered by Redhan to destroy the family's secret storehouse to protect their illicit operation from enemy infiltration, he was shocked to see a three-layered mixed ring of ion cannons and turbolasers emerging from underground to start attacking the prince's fleet. Even more so to learn that his father had virtually sold hundreds, probably thousands of children to the One Sith, an act even a corrupt sleemo like Idenn could not condone for the public relations and morale damage alone.
Thanks to the king's accursed secret dealings, his insatiable greed, and his renegade son's barely whetted appetite for vengeance against his whole family, the Axlan rule was about to come crashing down all around them, and no one would emerge unscathed, and that included Idenn. With his fleet having already been hammered by the Confederation's Bothan Assault Cruisers and support ships, and now coming under fire from the Sith temple's own defenses, there was nothing they could do to escape.
Nothing, that is, except accepting the terms of surrender the Alliance of Light had, not even ten minutes ago, so generously offered the prince and every surviving fleet commander that turned themselves in. It might cost him his fleet, but better to lose a ship than his life.
After seeing his father's hopes for a final victory evaporate, alongside with imagining the Sith reprisals that would follow when Malleus and his allies returned from their orbital excursion, it was clear that now was time to jump ship and carve out what terms he could before everything around him crashed down for good.
"I cannot allow your cowardice to jeopardize what little value remains in your father for us." A familiar voice echoed through Idenn's mind, one that sent tremors throughout his spine from the malice laced in it.
"Malleus." The heir whispered, head shaking back and forth, instinctively trying to find the voice's source. "Where are you?" Speaking loud enough to be heard, he demanded, "Show yourself!"
"Don't bother asking. I'm beyond your reach where you will be going." The Sith Lord telepathically finished moments before Idenn felt a gentle nick on the back of his neck, one that he did not know harmed him at all until he coughed up a gallon's worth of blood and collapsed, nothing more than an empty shell from his ruptured carotid artery long before he hit the floor.
Seeing the sight of their leader fall dead on the spot filled everyone on the Reprisal's bridge with terror, and they were prepared to abandon ship and take their chances with their enemies.
Before anyone could even consider their next move, Malleus's hologram filled the tactical projector, and dismissively addressed the bridge crew, "Your prince was found guilty of assaulting a Sith Observatory, and everyone here knows the punishment for high treason is death. Your king will soon meet his own well-deserved fate for ordering this attack, but first I need to finalize a few key matters with him."
"Have a glorious death, for whatever consolation you fools feel it's worth." Malleus amusingly ended the holocall, leaving the crew to try and save their lives before an alarm went off.
One of the Reprisal's officers noticed his monitor flashing, and warned the Star Destroyer's captain, "Sensors have picked up an energy fluctuation in the reactor core. All essential systems will lose complete power in fifteen minutes!"
"Has the reactor been breached?" The captain alarmingly speculated.
"No, it looks like it was an automatic shutdown command. From what I can trace, the signal…" Face paling from the readout's implications, she informed the commanding officer, "It came from underneath the city's main cargo facilities."
Finding his voice after a moment of heartbreaking realization, the captain swiftly took command of his crew, starting with his engine officer, "Get us as far from the city as we can before our engines shut down. I won't have us dooming the very people we swore to serve.
He then ordered the comms officer. "Signal to all non-essential personnel to abandon ship. Use whatever means they must, but they need to get to ground immediately. Then get a message out to the rest of our ships and allies and have them surrender and land at once before they risk meeting our fate. Tell those that are damaged to request Alliance assistance."
"You think the Jedi will accept everyone's surrender so easily?" The navigations officer doubtfully spoke up.
"I'll do what I can to convince them to do so. Our king abused and broke the trust of every one of us, and we need to make sure he pays for his madness, even if we won't live to see his ultimate downfall. But to do that and prove they're better than my father and restore peace to our world, the Alliance of Light will need every able-bodied soul they can get."
Witnessing none of his officers decry him or attempt to mutiny or flee, instead working to carry out their final set of orders filled Xolan with unparalleled pride. For once in their long years of service, they were truly doing something in service to their people, and they were going to see it through to their ultimate end.
1102 Hours
Batuu, Black Spire Ruins
Sith Command Center
Everything seemed to be running smoothly for Dician's long list of operations on this border world. The four largest mineral mines, one each in the Jerrard Mountains, Jalindi Plains, Omega Hills, and Zoopar Forests were operating at peak efficiency, while the Rakatan vault would be opened in no more than sixty hours, with the transports that would carry the cargo to safety set to arrive in less than half that time.
But that eerie calm was exactly what troubled the Sith Lady so much. In fact, matters were progressing too smoothly for her liking with too few disruptions or incidents.
Clan Djarin and their Jedi backers had barely made any moves since their attacks on her supply depots, and she had expected them to strike again by now, whether against her diminished fleet orbiting above or on any of her numerous machinations on the planet itself. Both sides knew how time was crucial to their success, so if the enemy were not playing their hand now, it only meant they had far grander ambitions to work with.
To add to Dician's troubles, the past few days of working with so little rest and dealing with increasing levels of stress had finally taken their toll on her, with the Sith Intelligence Director barely able to keep her eyelids open, even while she was alone in her personal chambers. It was if the Force itself was plotting against her.
She might have her acolytes and most-trusted subordinates working to predict their enemy's moves and counter whatever feeble strategies they might conjure up, but too many things were not adding up. Liara and Xasha had been investigating the anomalies in several slave camps, but they currently had nothing of note to report. And her efforts to uncover the traitor in her ranks had borne little fruit either. Someone might be impeding their efforts, or was one of the two women the turncoat she was hunting for?
What was happening to the master schemer? Had the perfectionist Sith Lady finally lost her touch? Or was she just overthinking everything, seeing plots within plots when matters could be simpler than she ever imagined. Honestly, she was too tired to care, and had a strong hunch that a few hours, or even a full day if needed, of rest would do wonders for her mental well-being.
Typing a message for Liara, the rest of her acolytes, and Xasha, she was about to send it before she considered how one of them might be a traitor, or at least an unwitting abettor for the real agent of the Alliance of Light. Perhaps a simple trap and a little misinformation was what was needed to lure the renegades out of hiding. It might be unconventional, but it was sure to bear better results than through using her typical methods.
Amending her message just enough to fool any overcurious spies, she sent it to her learners only mere moments before falling face first into her bed. Having a gut feeling she would catch her spy soon, she let the sheer exhaustion over the last few days finally catch up with her weary mind and body. Destroying the Jedi could wait for a day, or even two if must be. Right now, she needed an ample nap before her grip on sanity snapped.
1113 Hours
Falleen, Port Nowhere
Aboard the Knol Ven'nari
"If they all cooperate with your world's transition to a democracy and help keep the peace, then the provisional government and the Alliance will show leniency towards your forces that surrender." Traest promised the doomed captain.
Taking Xolan's warnings to heart about the now-dead noble's compromised fleet, the Confederation started withdrawing to the minimal safe distance while preparing to offer medical aid to any escaping forces that surrendered. He even brought General Farlander and Commander Rhal into the impromptu meeting to help wind down the battle and keep his peers in the loop.
"Very good." Xolan breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your generosity, Gentlemen. But if you'll allow me to say my last piece, I do have two final pleas to make before my end comes."
"Name them, and we will see if we can fulfill the requests." Keyan politely agreed.
"Make Redhan and the Sith pay for what I helped them inflict on our people, and ensure that the next government, with whichever greater power it allies with, doesn't fall prey to the corruption that took root here." Xolan mournfully bowed his head as the transmission cut off.
"Consider it done." Thornton solemnly whispered, biding the former enemy farewell into whatever afterlife the captain might believe in.
Mere moments later, he shielded his eyes from the explosion of the Venator and briefly mourned for the loss of thousands aboard the ship's crew.
After the blinding light died down, Traest quickly ordered his officers, "Dispatch rescue teams to the new wreckage, as well as all other downed enemy ships. Let's see if we can save at least a few more lives today and get some useful intel out of the debris."
Keyan quickly agreed, adding, "We'll also offer any surrendering vessels assistance in scouring their ships for any kind of failsafe. But if anyone refuses, they will have to withdraw or face destruction."
"Makes sense, but I hope we don't overwhelm our resources or let in enemy spies." Thornton cautioned.
"Then how fortunate we are to have access to Haxim's Resistance spy network, and our shared bounty of countless future prisoners that can help us ferret out the bulk of Redhan's corrupt loyalists." Traest patiently countered.
1145 Hours
Falleen Orbit
Aboard Ship
Channeling his bottomless cauldron rage against the Dorneans, Malleus had used Ship to deliver blow after blow on the Sith's newest enemy, decimating their fighter squadrons and destroying the second of their hybrid capital ships. With Ship's superior speed, regenerative capabilities, and armaments, along with the human's brilliant mind, the duo was running circles around all but the largest enemy battle cruisers, providing the perfect diversion to allow his allies to escape this doomed system.
Unfortunately for the Sith Marauder, a large portion of his surviving reserves were slow to withdraw from the battlefront, with seven capital ships and thirteen escort craft staying behind, with the Conquest and Darth Irola refusing to leave their friend and remaining forces behind. With the Port Nowhere forces surrendering or fleeing all over the planet after Prince Idenn's death, the time had come for Malleus to wrap up his fun and return to securing the greater prize below.
Even with Ship informing him of Vestara Khai's exposure to Phobar's corruptive energies, he held little hope of her return to the One Sith and would rather kill her when presented with the opportunity. But right now, Khai and the turncoats were but a minor annoyance compared with the duplicity of Redhan and the royal wealth ready to be plundered.
'Irola, you fool! I told you and Gage to leave over an hour ago!' Malleus spitefully reminded the Sith commander.
'You did, and our withdrawal is nearly complete.' Irola confirmed. 'But Lord Phobar clued us in to your strategy, and Admiral Gage and I decided to provide you a few ships' worth of trusted hands for you and your allies when you make your ultimate escape with your bountiful cargo.'
Fighting back a sigh at Irola's admirable sense of comradery and loyalty, Malleus knew arguing with her now was a lost cause and would only waste time and vital personnel. Deciding to make the most of the extra help, he ordered her, 'Very well. Have your volunteers and the Conquest regroup at the Royal Palace. Make sure Redhan and his family and retinue don't slip away in the coming chaos until I return.'
1150 Hours
Aboard the Etahn A'baht
"General, the first wave of transports made it to the rendezvous points with minimal casualties." A comm officer alerted Kiles, just as another three enemy capital ships made the jump to hyperspace, leaving only four functional Sith warships and the ten supplementary escort craft that were still in-system alongside that bat-eyed spheroid.
"Excellent." Kiles absentmindedly nodded. With just over half the Sith fleet destroyed or permanently disabled, the puzzle that remained in the few remaining enemy ships eluded the Dornean military mind.
Why would Malleus and a few of his people stay behind when the fight for Falleen was a lost cause against such overwhelming odds and firepower? The only reason the general could possibly see that scenario working out was to extract what vital personnel and resources they could recover, a troubling prospect for another day.
As much as he wanted to finish blasting away the Sith force, having lost two Xyston-class Escort Frigates and three Pow'ark-class Battleships, along with many of their crews and a third of their fighter wings, he and five of his nine remaining captains were not fond of facing anymore adversaries right now with their diminished force. The odds certainly did not look brighter when considering how one of their Starhawks was knocked out of commission due to an unstable reactor, thanks to Malleus's earlier Force blast, and most of its critical systems had to be shut down for repairs, leaving the battleship vulnerable.
"Sir, the Sith's remaining fleet and Ship, they're all starting to head planetside." A navigations officer called out. "They appear to be on a trajectory to the capital city. Should we move to intercept?"
"Negative, Ensign." Kiles reluctantly denied. "We have several hundred evacs to pick up, almost as many wounded to tend to, and repairs to make on all our ships. Then we need to regroup and link up with the rest of the Alliance so we can focus on liberating this enemy fortress world and moving onto other battlefronts.
"Put me in contact with the Mon Adapyne. We'll speak with Generals Haxim or Farlander and see where we are most needed, after we ready ourselves for the next battle. They'll probably need our expertise in finishing the Sith's armies down here, and we need to inform them of our stranded enemies we don't have the facilities to detain."" The general ordered, his crew diligently following their orders.
1230 Hours
Batuu, Black Spire Ruins
Within the Sith Command Center
Liara Ora, a Falleen Sith of the young age of twenty-five, could not place it, but something had been out of place in her friend for some time. Xasha, the last blood relative of Prince Xizor, the greatest Underlord of the Black Sun crime syndicate, had kept her cult alive and a step ahead of the Jedi's hounds for years before the Sith reached out to her. She had done all this while establishing footholds across half the galaxy to funnel wealth back to her people and their pawn of a king, ensuring their prosperity before the Sith came in and changed it all to suit their own ends.
With all that in mind, why was such a brilliant and devoted schemer unable to come up with viable results when it came to locating the traitor in her own followers' ranks? Dician gave orders to all her top lieutenants that she would demand a status update in five hours, and if the results were inconclusive, she would set an example none of them would forget. Also included in her last order was how she uncovered that multiple Resistance's scouts had been sighted throughout the Amphia Plateau in their search for a new base.
If that was the case, why was Xasha ignoring all the evidence before her, and brushing aside her concerns of the Sith's most vital mining operations at risk of being compromised? Any sensible mind ought to send a few probes to investigate this potential lead, all the while subjecting their followers to inquiries and interrogations to unearth the turncoat and reinforcing the mines with trusted soldiers to root out any subversives.
Surprisingly, though, the priest was doing none of this, and it unsettled the younger Falleen more than she cared to admit. To protect her teacher and the Grand Design, Liara decided to do something about it, personal consequences be damned.
Breaking into Xasha's personal databases while the older woman attended to several logistical matters inside her cult, Liara had just stumbled onto a series of unauthorized transmissions and data compilations. Scouring through them with increasing fervor, fury, and horror, she was appalled to realize the depths of how Dician's infrastructure had been so severely compromised, and by her most trusted asset, no less!
Xasha Xizor, one of the few people Liara and her mistress had believed in, was the traitor the Sith had been looking for, and she had given the Alliance of Light all they needed to undo the One Sith's hold on this treasure trove of a world! She had to alert Lady Dician of this development immediately, before Xasha could make her next move!
Stopping herself, remembering her mistress was completely drained from her exhaustive hunt, Liara realized it was time for the Sith Acolyte to step up and prove her worth to the Director and even the Dread Lord himself. In fact, all her fellow Sith trainees needed to rise to the challenge. The future of the galaxy itself was at stake, and they needed to make their teacher proud and save their sacred Grand Design from any further sabotage.
First things first, she needed to warn her fellow Sith and get Xasha behind bars, immediately followed by getting the word out to every single one of Dician's planetary operations and have them scour for any enemy infiltration. Then they would start learning just how much harm the turncoat had done to her own cult and the overall mission. Finally, they each had to start undoing the betrayer's damage and prepare for the inevitable enemy onslaught to come, even with how precious little time they likely had left.
It was time for the greatest and most powerful and united Sith Order in over a millennium to stop fighting on the defensive and start dishing out a few healthy doses of well-deserved retribution against their rivals.
1245 Hours
Within the Jerrard Mountains
Ordo Temal, overseer of the One Sith's slave mining operation for Lommite, a vital ore in constructing ships and many types of armor, could hardly believe the news coming in from their command center, and the terrible danger that had infested his little kingdom. Two members of the infamous Wraith Squadron and their many diverse allies had slipped into his camp to assassinate him, the team composed of a squad's worth of Antarian Rangers, five Mandalorians, and even a member of the Yuuzhan Vong's reject caste of Shamed Ones!
He had heard from Liara how the Jalindi Plains, Omega Hills, and Zoopar Forests had been similarly infiltrated, but no one had been able to reach their overseers or staff for several hours, so everyone had to assume the worst. But with the Alliance of Light just about set to launch a full-scale invasion, the time had come to prepare for this world's apocalypse.
Before the end came, Ordo had to make sure to avoid becoming Number Four to fall in the Alliance's assassination squads, so he would take the necessary measures to preserve his resources and soldiers before they were able to cut their losses. That was why he had ordered a complete lockdown of his facility and was herding all slaves into the mines.
With what he had planned for the expendable masses that made up his indentured workforce, it would lessen the enemy's resources and divert the commandos' efforts from getting to him. All he honestly had to worry about now was searching for the void in the Force the Vong would create, and then keep away from him and his cohorts. Powerful he might be, but he would not risk everything he had accomplished for the Dread Lords all in the name of vanity and bloodlust like Vader very well would have.
1315 Hours
Within the Morandi Forests
Aboard the Quarren Eye
"Looks like our top contact in the Sith's cult got herself knocked out of commission." Din warned Voort. "Dak-Ondar just sent me a coded message that says Xasha's been uncovered and arrested and is about to be interrogated by Dician's top followers. Xasha's aide gave the Ithorian a lot of intel on the Sith's operations, information we can hopefully use to finish their cult and ringleaders and minions off for good."
"What kind of data are we talking, here, and just how much of it?" Myri wondered, while Voort rapidly devoured the transmissions' data contents.
"Precise numbers on virtually every planetwide mining operation, the schematics for the Sith's command center, detailed bios on each of Dician's top acolytes and commanders, and a backdoor into her communications and financial networks that Xasha assured us hers' and Dician's people won't find." Din listed off before adding, "Oh, and he gave us the personal comm channels of Admiral Tonith and his top officers."
"If she was so embedded in Dician's staff, then how did she slip up?" Shada wondered, speaking up from her station while helping her people in the Smuggler's Alliance slice into the orbiting enemy comm traffic.
"Wish I knew, but he didn't say. Fortunately for us, he wants us to start our attack right away, before Dician wakes up from her deep sleep and takes back command from her loyal retinue. And he gave us quite an incentive." Din answered.
"We're not ready. There's still an hour left on the clock, and Team Tau isn't finished with its mission in the Jerrard Mountains. Besides, we can't move our entire schedule along just because of one of your friend's contacts-" Voort reminded before getting interrupted by a grim Shada,
"Your last team's been compromised. The Sith have locked down their assigned mine, are preparing to bury the slaves alive, and our friends are pinned down by about three times as many Sith and bodyguards while the overseer escapes."
"I'll divert a few fast ships to extract them right away." Azzim vowed, turning to Din, "It would help if we had some of your best commandos accompany them, and have the Resistance send a few transports to rescue the slaves."
Nodding, Din warned everyone, "There's still the matter of Dok-Ondar. He said if we launch our attack now, he'll give our historians and the Jedi exclusive access to all his research notes on the artifacts that were in his custody. He also discovered what kind of army lies in the Rakatan vault." The clan leader paused, whether out of dread or for dramatic effect, no one could figure out beneath his helmeted head. But his answer surprised everyone with the anxious disclosure, "It's an army of Esh-kha, at least four hundred thousand in number."
"Esh-what? That sounds a bit menacing, but you lost me when you said that, well, whatever title it means. Is the title of a new army, or some ancient species lost to the sands of time?" Drikall Bessarah, Devaroinan and the team's unofficial medic, inattentively answered.
"Both, because it was a Pre-Republic species that tried conquering the galaxy, nearly overwhelming the Rakata in the process before they were driven back and imprisoned in their secret prisons on Belsavis until the latter two galactic wars instigated by Vitiate's Sith Empire." Tiana Ira, commander of this task force's Antarian Rangers detachment, knowingly answered, earning surprised looks from everyone. "What? I used to read a few anthropological works back in the day. Rakatan-era papers have always fascinated me, especially those by Henrietya Antilles back in her day."
Huhunna, Wraith Squadron's Wookiee and former vigilante inside the Galactic Alliance's military before joining the rogue's gallery, bellowed out her demand on how this kind of discovery was hidden on this border with the Unknown Regions, and why no one had investigated these ruins until now.
"To keep the two forces from uniting and starting another galactic crusade? Or this army was even more dangerous than the mainstream faction and they were hidden away to protect the galaxy? Does it matter right now?" Sharr Latt, the squadron's psychological expert, tactfully pointed out. "What's more important is that we stop the Sith from getting and using them for whatever unknown plan they have. Which means we get our allies to carry out their attack now."
"And how do they plan to transport around half a million highly lethal marauders off this world once our fleets break through the blockade? They'd need at least fifty bulk transports to hold a prize of that magnitude."
"Let's not give them a chance to figure that wrinkle out." Voort solemnly shut any further speculation down. "I'll reach out to the Dodonna and Aidel Saxan. They'll carry out their attack as soon as they finish their preparations in no more than ten minutes." Quickly composing a message to the two command ships, the genetically modified Gamorrean sent it out in less than two minutes through the Quarren Eye's most encrypted comm channel.
Din, meanwhile, worked swiftly to contact his clan members and their allied Resistance cells so they could kick off their own series of attacks, receiving comm clicks of affirmation before each group signed off.
It was time to take another large step towards breaking the Sith's cancerous hold on this world, and the galaxy in the process. With the plan the assembled leadership had devised, and their dozens of secret weapons ready to be put to good use, the Sith would soon face the oblivion they richly deserved.
1400 Hours
Batuu System Outskirts
Aboard the Galactic-class Battle Cruiser Dodonna
Kara, one of the few dozens of Aporthads to join the Galactic Alliance in any capacity, and the only one of her species to reach the rank of Rear Admiral of the democratic government's Defense Force, was anxious at facing the Sith head on, especially one of Dician's intellect likely rivaling or even surpassing the GA fleet leader. Feeling her long, pale arms repeatedly fidget, and her tusks aching from stress and the constant grinding of her teeth, she struggled to keep herself from pacing on the bridge to present an aura of assurance among her command crew, even as she prepared to go up against the Director of Sith Intelligence.
With the Sith having co-opted an anarchic cult and used them to create chaos and undermine every facet of the legitimate governments, any sane leader would pause at facing cult's Sith leader, and Kara was no exception. Even with Supreme Commander Bwua'tu taking her under his wing for a decade to hone her innate gift for leadership, she still felt the fear in her stomach at her forces going up against a full-fledged enemy attack, never mind working alongside the Confederation in liberating this system's sole world.
She knew many of her soldiers and officers still held lingering resentment for the worlds that helped trigger the Second Galactic Civil War and cost the galaxy countless lives, all over regulations and legislations on each world's armed forces that should have been solved by diplomacy. She especially held a strong grudge against Corellia for taking its rogue nature too far and taking advantage of the GA's economic benefits without upholding its military obligations back when it was still a member world.
But like Bwua'tu had drilled into her mind through countless training sessions over the last decade, duty and principles came before any personal feelings. And by remembering how the Confederation's own supreme commander, Turr Phennir, held such confidence in her and similar principles in his mind, it helped her recall her professionalism and keep her focused on the true enemy before her.
With her scouts reporting at least eighty capital and escort ships still blockading the planet beneath them, outnumbering the Alliance of Light's inbound fleets by nearly a two-to-one margin, cooperation between both fleets would be critical. Thankfully, both leaders had devised a strategy designed to build trust between the two factions, while warning everyone the price of breaking their plan or formation to fight on their own or seek to subvert their rival power.
With each division composed of an even mix of GA and Confederation vessels, everyone would have to leave their preconceptions behind just to survive this battle. A simple strategy, but effective and virtually guaranteed to build trust, nonetheless.
On that note, with Clan Djarin reporting how their best agents' sabotage had not gone unnoticed by the Freedom's Riches and their Sith overlords and determining exactly what the Sith were after down here, the time had come for Turr and Kara to put their stratagem to the test. But with the final additional intel another agent had provided, the Alliance had another critical edge to use against their enemies, and they were ready to put all they had to good use.
Aboard the first battle cruiser of its kind, named after the legendary Rebel Alliance and New Republic general Jan Dodonna, Kara ordered her bridge's crew, "Alert all ships and get me in touch with Commander Phennir. Have us ready for an in-system jump in five minutes. Now we need to remind the Sith the price that one entails when they terrorize the free galaxy."
In Orbit Above Batuu
Aboard the Haazen
"Status report on all battle groups." Reep ordered his seven direct subordinates via holocomm. Hearing from every division commander report their fleet's full battle readiness, the Muun admiral was confident in his blockade giving the Alliance of Light's reinforcements a thrashing they would not soon forget.
But that did not mean he would lower his guard against the probable three-pronged assault. With the Confederation and Galactic Alliance each sending a high-ranking military leader to batter the Sith's defenses, coupled with their mix of groundside allies and their remaining weapons of mass destruction still roaming the planet, only a fool would think this fight would be simple or conventional, and only an idiot would throw everything he had into this single battle.
This was why he and Dician agreed on keeping a few surprises of their own in reserve for when the Jedi-backed force showed their full hand. It might be an old trick, but if the enemy's resolve wavered even a fraction of Reef's estimates, the cargo would serve its final purpose when the enemy tried to break through the defensive line.
"Admiral, we have multiple contacts emerging about five thousand klicks dead ahead!" The sensor's officer called out.
"Give me a visual." Following his superior's instructions, the officer pulled up long-range scans to reveal the first two ships to emerge.
The first was a capital ship resembling the Imperial-class Destroyer with a similar command tower and bridge atop the hull, but it was broader and blunter in shape, and had to have at least as much tonnage as the older ships, maybe an extra half the weight. This was a Galactic-class Battle Carrier, a likely candidate for the Galactic Alliance's fleet's flagship.
The second ship to emerge about ten kilometers to its left was a giant, blue-colored egg-shaped dreadnought. Reep recognized the ship as the last surviving Corellian Dreadnought of its type, the Aidel Saxan.
Looks like both rivals were bringing their big guns for this mission, especially as another ten ships from each government emerged in perfect military formation. A sure sign they were finally taking the threat of the One Sith seriously, for whatever good their battle plan would do them when measured against his.
Awaiting the remainder of the enemy force, he was surprised when he saw how another twenty-five capital ships of fifteen various designs appeared, followed by their six-dozen escort vessels and their protective starfighter shrouds. But what truly surprised him was how the two factions had mixed each of their squadrons and battleships together, a simple effort to foster cooperation and trust between both forces.
As impressed as he was by the two governments' united front, he was disappointed by the underwhelming amount of firepower and ships they had brought. Forty-five warships and seventy-two support craft of their caliber would be a challenge for him to defeat, but not impossible for the eighty-seven offensive vessels and fifty repair and recovery ships under the One Sith's Battu blockade.
Reep was very much going to enjoy this battle of minds, a rare treat for the aged admiral that he intended to savor for many years to come. After all, it was not every day that one got to wage a war of wills and intellect against the Confederation's supreme commander and an Aporthad, a race of intellectual prodigies, who just so happened to be an even more brilliant rear admiral in the Galactic Alliance's navy and Nek Bwua'tu's brightest pupil.
1500 Hours
Falleen, Port Nowhere
Just Outside the Main Cargo Facilities
"Xule? What's wrong?" Ben worriedly asked his ward after seeing her weep as soon as everyone exited the Sith Observatory.
"Nothing's wrong, Ben." Xule cried as she smiled, even while tasting the saltiness of her own tears and admitting, "I just, I never thought I'd ever see sunlight again."
"We can take things from here." K'Kruhk promised Ben, gesturing to his teammates before advising the human Jedi. "Go, be with your family and girlfriend."
Nodding with silent gratitude, Ben knelt to Xule and kindly offered, "You want to help me find some of my loved ones? I think you'll like them once you get to know them."
"Okay." Xule nodded, before she warningly pouted, "But after we see them, you help me find my family. You promised, Ben."
Laughing at the sweet sight at seeing the girl growing so attached to him, Ben pretended to ponder the question, he relented, "Yes, I suppose I did." Holding the young girl's hand while wading their way through the growing crowd of medics and soldiers to secure the perimeter, Ben focused on the dark energy that permeated all around a nearby area to guide their way.
Of course, it helped to have contacted his aunt and cousin shortly before to fill him in on the situation. Grateful that Vestara was finding her way into the Light while protecting her dear sister, but dreading whatever damage Phobar inflicted on her, coupled with her mostly restored memories, he had a gut feeling Vestara was about to face a terrible trial of her spirit before she could begin to recover.
Seeing the silhouette of the Phoenix Whirlwind land about half a kilometer to the east, Ben warned Xule, "We're going to have to move fast, so don't let go of my hand, okay?"
Hurrying as quickly as he could to the Shriek bomber, he found the limp form of his girlfriend being carried into the ship by Mirta. Feeling Vestara's life energy, even damaged it might be, still emanating strong through the Force, alleviated some of the weight off his chest.
Rushing towards his aunt and cousin, he anxiously asked, "What happened to Ves?"
"She took a hit meant for Mirta when we battled Phobar and his apprentices, and no one's been able to wake her up since." Allana somberly answered. "Grandpa Han and Mirta are taking her to Lajinda for the best medical attention the Alliance has while we finish mopping up here."
Noticing the curious Falleen girl hiding behind Ben's side, she tried to break the pall by teasing her cousin, "Picking up a stray or two along the way? Trying to start a family with Ves already, are you?"
"Hey, I'm no stray!" Xule petulantly pouted, ignoring the bright red blush on Ben's face, "Ben promised to help me find my family after this battle and I get my checkup, and I'm making sure he keeps his word."
"Well, everyone here knows how my nephew always works to keep his promises." Leia let a tired smile crease her face. "What's your name, little one?"
"It's Xule, Xule Indaw." The young girl formally introduced herself, anxiously shuffling back behind Ben, "And you must be the Solos. I… I heard a lot about you when I was trapped down there with the Sith."
"Hopefully respectful things." Allana playfully warned. "We're a tough bunch to take down."
"That is what I've been told." Xule nervously quipped before tiredly rubbing her forehead. "Do any of you think I can go with your friends to Lajinda? Last I knew, I have an aunt and uncle there that can call the rest of my family and let everyone know I'm safe."
Kneeling down to face the girl, Leia kindly smiled, "Of course, and Ben will be going with you to protect you. Just let me have a minute alone with my nephew. Allana will show you aboard her grandpa's new ship."
Allana, catching a guarded glint in Leia's eyes, guessed the elder Solo Jedi needed privacy for what she was about to tell Ben. Playing along, she guided Xule to the Phoenix Whirlwind before Ben quietly asked, "What's wrong?"
"I need you to help keep an eye on Xule and the rest of the children aboard until we can safely evaluate them. Don't let them out of your sight and don't say anything around them that isn't common knowledge to our people." Leia warned him.
"You think they've already been converted?" Ben suspiciously guessed.
"Or they've been brainwashed or reconditioned to unconsciously and unconditionally serve Krayt." Leia reluctantly clarified. "We've seen enough of that strategy from the likes of post-Endor Imperial warlords and the Yuuzhan Vong."
Not savoring spying on a child or being unable to try and help Vestara, but still understanding the sheer severity of the situation, Ben nodded. "All right. I'll keep watch over them until you come back."
"Thank you." Leia gratefully said. "When we finish up here, you'll be able to check up on Vestara. But she'll still be subjected to a long battery of questions now that her memory's been fully restored."
Keeping the overwhelming shock off his face, but not through the Force, Ben decided to ask the obvious questions later, and instead solemnly sighed, "Then we'd best hope she'll fully cooperate with us after she wakes up. It'll at least keep our intel people happy and hopefully show the galaxy how she genuinely wants to atone."
"We can only hope." Leia whispered after Ben hurried into the Shriek-class bomber. She prayed her fears were unfounded, as she did not want any more dead innocent victims of evil forces weighing on her soul.
Falleen, Within the Falleen Throne Capital City
Inside the Royal Palace
Ignoring the pathetic final gasps of life from the dozen guards attempting to impede his entry into the palace's foyer, Malleus extended his senses to find the sniveling wretch of a king and located him in the heart of his war room. A sad attempt to preserve what tattered scraps remained of his power, perhaps?
Well, such a question hardly mattered, for he and Lord Phobar each had their set of orders, and both Sith Lords were going to fulfill them to the letter, even if it meant putting up with that insufferable twit of a ruler for a little while longer. Breaking into a sprint, he quickly blew his way through every foe suicidal enough to interfere in his mission, making his way just outside war room after destroying at least twenty guards.
Before the full end came for Redhan's reign, it was time to remind the puppet and his followers who the true powers of this galaxy were, he was going to enjoy putting that wretch in his rightful place, which was directly under the heel of his metal boot. He deserved everything coming his way after compromising the overall operation and costing the Sith a few dozen of their best Jedi hunting mercenaries.
As a final bonus, thanks to Malleus's earlier mind probe on Idenn, he knew all about the late prince's family and their fallback plan to survive their exile. With that final desperate strategy known in full to the two Sith, the bulk of the nobles' ill-gotten wealth would soon go to worthier hands and be put to far better use, no one being any wiser until it was too late to stop them.
Utilizing the Force to override the security locks to the war room, Malleus felt the hostility aimed at him, even as the room was shrouded in a fog as thick as soup.
Having an educated guess on what was coming, he decided to take a few extra precautions. Quickly whipping out his lightsaber, revealing its synthetic red crystal, he effortlessly deflected the many blasts directed his way back towards their points of origins.
Hearing at least seven grunts or painful screams, he knew most of the redirected attacks hit the mark, and bellowed towards the remaining crowd, "REDHAN! Show yourself and stop this pointless waste of time, you coward! We have a few pressing matters to discuss! Unless, of course, you wish to lose what's left of your legacy right here, on the spot."
"You got my son killed, and you, Phasma, the Jedi, all of you need to pay for what you did to him and my fleet! You and all of you accursed Force Users will face our brand of justice!" Redhan heartbrokenly cried out.
"Your son and your fleet were destroyed because of your endless hubris, greed, and desperation." Malleus pointedly reminded him, sensing the disgraced queen closer to the Sith Lord, and telekinetically pulled Xaile towards him, leaving her hovering before him and gasping for breath before warning, "Unless you want to add your wife to your growing list of dead family members, I suggest you put a stop to this fog. Despite what you understandably fear, I have not come to kill you."
'Not yet at least.' Malleus inwardly chuckled, even as he felt Redhan's resolve quickly start to crumble from a mix of fear, confusion, and doubt.
After the fog began to dissipate, at least eight silhouettes became visible, and the faltering ruler growled out, "Then what do you want? Just come on out and say something honest, for once in your life!"
"A chance to salvage what Lord Phobar and I can get from this loss of a world and deliver the perfect message to the Jedi of the cost of this victory." Malleus began. "Unfortunately, as absurd as it sounds, we can't do it without your help. Consider this a final chance to make up for your gross incompetence and save your surviving relatives from your son's incoming wrath."
"And how do you plan to salvage anything from this debacle with the rabble and their new masters sweeping over our king's world?" A general ardently pointed out.
"Because Phobar and I have just embedded about fifty unaware spies into the Alliance's ranks. They will buy us all the time we need to secure a fighting retreat." Malleus patiently answered.
"Let my wife go, alive and well, and you have a deal." Redhan reluctantly bit out. If the Sith was telling the truth, then this alliance was crucial towards his very survival. Besides, if he got the chance to kill Malleus and his cohorts after he escaped, then he would take it. With all the wealth he and his followers accumulated from Xasha's cult, they would surely be able to find a world to make their home until they eventually could return.
Perhaps the Corporate Sector would be able to play host to them, especially the desert world of Cantonica and its casino city Canto Bight with its diverse crowds and fellow wealthy denizens. A few decades there would do wonders for their wealth and underworld influence, and they could use it to unleash retribution on their wayward son and whatever government he pledged their people to.
"As you decree, your Highness." Mallees mockingly obeyed, oblivious to Redhan's schemes, letting Xaile fall to her knees and work to take in as much oxygen as she could get. Just after he released his grip, the shroud fully lifted, and the two dozen guards and generals protectively surrounded their king were made fully visible, and the effort was almost absurd enough to make the Sith laugh.
"Oh, just stop!" Redhan exasperatingly waved down his guards. "He could have killed us all if he wanted in an instant. For whatever reason, he really does want all of us alive."
"Yes. Lord Krayt still has uses for you, most vital uses, rest assured." Malleus vaguely promised before observing the tactical feed on the holotable.
Seeing the mixture of colors splattered across the area, with about twenty green markers signifying the sectors completely secured by the Royal Family, another sixty being contested with their yellow, and another twenty being red to show how they had completely fallen to enemy control. "We'd best get to work on stalling for time so you all can prepare to set up your government-in-exile."
1600 Hours
Port Nowhere, Aboard the Mon Adapyne
"For your sake, Axlan, I hope you can provide me with a valid answer as to why you broke ranks and released that footage all on your own initiative." Keyan gravely warned Haxim, sitting in a simple chair, bereft of his armor and weapons, with his four interrogators observing his every move in either physical or holographic form.
With the assembled leadership meeting aboard the Mon Calamari warship while cleanup operations were underway, there was the gundark in the room to address their ally's rogue actions and the wider ramifications to consider. With Keyan, Traest, Leia, and Thornton warning their respective leaders of Haxim's harebrained stunt, the three heads of state and the Jedi Grand Master gave their representatives the authority to enact a tribunal over the rebel leader.
"I did what I had to do to help you end my family's hold over this world. The only regret I hold is that I broke everyone's trust in me to do so." Haxim sincerely answered, holding a trace of regret in his voice.
"So, you basically acted out of self-righteous spite and impatience, and because of your reckless haste, now every intelligence agency in the galaxy will be stumbling over themselves trying to interdict the scattered Sith's academies and rescue those kids." Thornton shook his head. "I can't believe how irresponsible you could be. I guess your family rubbed off on you more than we expected."
"That's hardly fair, and you're the last one to talk about family, Rhal." Haxim tensely interrupted. "My people and I have been fighting the Sith and their minions for over a decade, all on our own before you intervened. You can't just waltz in and act all high and mighty over me and my people. Not when you all had most of your leadership act like a bunch of selfish children, ignore the galaxy's plight to protect your own or just focus on esoteric matters, or move closer towards a civil war."
"I understand your position, Haxim." Traest tried. "We all had to deal with inept leaders at one point in our lives and often had to take matters into our own hands. But that does not excuse your foolhardy divulgence and breach of trust."
"I never said it did. But you try being tortured by your own relatives and their most brutal interrogators, watch your wife and children be cut down by the Sith, and see if you can remain whole afterwards!" Haxim painfully croaked out, standing up to quickly pull off his upper clothing and reveal a litany of barely healed scars covering his top abdomen.
No one did not know what to say without further upsetting a distraught Haxim, but Leia horrifically pressed on. "Your own family did this to you?"
"Yes, and on that topic, suffering physical and psychological wounds from family is something I believe you're intimately familiar with, Master Organa Solo." Haxim bit back his tears before warning, "Which means I don't need or want to hear any Jedi teachings about 'letting go of attachments' or 'not seeking revenge against my enemies.' I doubt they'd work on me, anyways."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Leia honestly admitted, knowing how such wounds could not be healed with words alone. Addressing the three military leaders, she proposed, "I have a proposition for you. Let me serve under Haxim until we finish unseating Redhan. I can serve as our friend's advisor and ambassador in reaching out to wavering factions in this war.
"Once the war is over, let the people decide what to do with Haxim. He's done too much good for us to simply discard him over one indiscretion."
"You realize they'd probably put him right up as governor, a constitutional monarch, senator, or whatever position he can best serve the planet in." Thornton blithely reminded the Jedi Master.
"Sitting right here, you know." Haxim peevishly interjected, with no one paying any attention to him.
"I don't think we have a choice." Keyan admitted, remembering his own brush with the Dark Side in the early days of the Rebellion and New Republic. "The people need a strong figure to rally behind in this war-torn galaxy, and our ally here has proven himself a friend to them and enemy of the Sith many times over, so we have to hope for the best."
"All logical arguments." Traest calmly acknowledged. "As long as he stays honest and works openly with the people and Alliance, then I might be able to see this idea working out." Looking at Haxim, he thought out loud, "But there is one matter I am curious about, one that only you can answer, General."
"That being?"
"When this war is won and Falleen is stabilized, which power will you align your people with? I doubt you'll be able to stay unaligned for too long in this chaotic galaxy, and you'll need a strong ally to help bring your people into this dawning new age."
Contemplating the decision for a long moment, Haxim diplomatically suggested, "Let's table that discussion for after we finish saving my people and toppling the Sith's monarchy. There are more immediate matters we must tend to, after all. For instance, I do recall that our Sith defectors need to be debriefed right away before their information becomes obsolete. A shame Lady Khai is indisposed now, but at least we can question Commander Gev and her associates."
"We'll take them to Lajinda for interrogation and cross-examination of their information." Keyan agreed before promising Leia, "They'll be treated fairly and in accordance with all civilized laws, as long as they fully cooperate with us. Then we can start to consider giving them a reasonable bit of responsibility for our coalition."
"That's all anyone can ask for when dealing with defecting Sith." Leia cordially agreed. "What about the unaccounted enemy forces that escaped the city, and their ill-gotten resources in this city?"
"We'll spread the word to all our battlefronts, and we can all put our spies to work in seeing if they make it to the capital." Keyan answered. "As for the supplies, they belong to the Falleen people, so I see no reason for not giving them back alongside our Resistance friends as a gesture of goodwill and to build trust."
"Thank you, but there is anomaly I should mention from my capital city contacts." Haxim informed his allies. "Malleus stormed the royal palace and decimated the staff, as we expected regarding my father's betrayal. However, the unusual factor around that matter is how he did not execute my remaining family, not even the king. Instead, he strong armed all of them into unquestionably following him from this point on.
"If I knew what Malleus's endgame with them was, I'd tell you right now. But it's a mystery to me, except for how I'm sure he'll dispose of my father once he reaches the end of his usefulness."
"Then we'll just have to figure it out as we go and move to win this fight before the Sith's scheme reaches completion." Traest sighed, weary of the countless machinations of the notorious order of Dark Siders and ready to enjoy a well-earned retirement after this galactic-wide conflict ended.
1700 Hours
Batuu System, 980 Kilometers from the Planet
Aboard the Dodonna
Kara found herself impressed by her Sith-controlled adversary's cunning and military acumen. With Reep concentrating the bulk of his force in an oval formation designed for rapid and flexible defense against their foes while keeping a dozen ships in reserve to protect their rear guard from any surprise attacks, the Muun had managed to protect all but ten- make that eleven now- warships that slipped out of the enemy's defense web.
So far, everything had gone according to plan, even if they had lost four capital ships of their own. The enemy was keeping their main force in reserve while tightening their grip over their world while preparing to suck out what remaining treasures they could get before they fled to parts unknown. A prolonged battle was obviously what Dician and her people were going for here, which was an undesirable outcome for the Alliance and its timetable.
All of this meant it was time for the Alliance to employ a few underhanded advantages their planetary allies had given them. Sending a private message to the Aidel Saxan for Turr to hear through her comlink, she quickly received a confirmation click. Once their ground allies made their ultimate move, then they could start to rout the enemy fleet and move against their Sith leaders.
1715 Hours
Batuu Orbit
Above the Haazen
Reep, in all honesty, was expecting far greater casualties from his people considering the joint GA-Confederation assault in space and the planetwide insurrection underway on Batuu. Seeing the Confederation's supreme commander and one of the Alliance's rising naval stars, a rare Aporthad, working together was almost too much to consider from many of Reep's subordinates. Even the Muun himself was impressed by the desperate collaboration, a rare feat to pull off.
Fortunately for the final Tonith family member and his dark masters, knowing that the Sith blockade still outnumbered theirs by thirty-seven capital ships, even while losing eleven warships and by asserting his authority, his commanding presence was enough to keep several captains from surrendering or outright deserting for other unexplored fringes of the galaxy to hide for the remainder of their short lives. Of course, it helped that Reep had gathered the appropriate blackmail materials on many of his more ambitious captains to maintain his hold over them all.
And yet, the enemy was, despite its impressive work in this attritional campaign, doing nothing truly daring or bold to try and break through the blockade. Did they truly hope to trick him into breaking his orders, or count on their allies below to decimate his fleet with a few of their baradium weapons? A pitiable, obvious, and futile tactic.
"Admiral, we're getting a priority message from the Interix." The comm officer pointed out. "Patching it through to you now."
Seeing the image of the Colicoid commander come into focus, Reep knowingly asked, "I take it our enemy has launched their second assault on our fleet from?"
"No, but it's much worse than that, Admiral." The purple-colored insectoid nervously chittered out. "Apprentice Liara has alerted me on how the Resistance and their allies are launching dozens of simultaneous attacks on every major operation on the planet, and they're using small-scale Baradium bombs to destroy twenty strongholds. The remaining emplacements need immediate reinforcements to be extracted and save their remaining resources."
Silently gritting his teeth behind his closed lips, Reep did not anticipate their secret weapons being used in such a manner. It was a brilliant tactic, since he could not ignore the attacks on his masters' operations, but neither could he diminish his blockade too much and risk the enemy taking advantage of the numerical balance. And judging by the Sith acolyte's orders, Batuu would soon fall to the Jedi, and their invaluable prizes had to be extracted before they lost this nerve center for the region of the galaxy.
Fortunately, he knew one fleet element that he could risk letting off his leash to cover this retreat. Commander Dalien Nazzer and his fleet, known for their brutality and complete devotion to the Sith philosophy, would take orders from the Sith better than the admiral, and with their mix of five escort craft and seven capital ships, it would not damage their fleet too badly.
Deciding on a course of action, he reassured his friend, "Very well. I'll dispatch Nazzer's force to work under Liara's command."
"Admiral!" A sensors officer warned. "We have multiple bogeys coming at us from planetside. It looks like the enemy Hutt and about two-thirds of his fleet are about to enter the battle."
Seeing an image of the Kajidic's fleet barreling towards the blockade, Reef wondered what possible strategy could Azzim Anjiliac Atirue be up to here? How could he alone hope to lead a two-pronged assault on the Sith blockade? With the Alliance using their baradium missiles up on the ground, they- actually, no one had ever said the entirety of their arsenal was used up on this coordinated assault.
Quickly figuring out the enemy's entire plan, he ordered the Interix, "Scan the enemy fleet for any anomalies! Do it now!"
Confusing creasing the Colicoid's face before carrying out his orders, he clicked in disbelief when reporting, "Sensors have detected two anomalies. The Hutt flagship is vacant of any kind of life forms, and one of their ships is laden with a substance our scans cannot identify or pinpoint its precise location."
"Have your force shoot down all approaching enemies at once! One of them is carrying a Baradium load and will soon blow a gaping hole in our fleet!" Reep ordered.
"I think we'll need a few heavy hitters to pierce through the Chelandion's armor, Sir." The Colicoid warned.
"I'll get you what you need, just slow them down as much as you can!" Reep growled out, even as he momentarily wondered where the Hutt Kajidic was when he would willingly sacrifice most of his fleet to secure a victory against the Sith. Still, he lamented how his trump card would have to be kept in reserve for better opportunities, and playing the long game was likely what would let the One Sith come out on top in this war.
1720 Hours
On Batuu, Within the Morandi Forests
Aboard the Quarren's Eye
Observing his empty flagship charge towards the Sith blockade, even as the holofeed showed how they were each being hammered by the larger ships, Azzim felt rather glum at having to sacrifice his first flagship to deliver a deathblow on the enemy's occupation. Fortunately, vessels could be replaced in a few months, while individuals could not be, and Azzim always was a peculiar being for a Hutt.
And with his ship being remotely piloted by Voort and his crew, it was time to make the ultimate sacrifice to grant the Alliance a decisive victory. Thanks to the mathematical genius of Wraith Leader, they had the exact calculations needed to make an instant jump into hyperspace, plowing right into the heart of the enemy formation and blow an irreparable hole in it. And with Dician indisposed and her acolytes taking up the reins and preoccupied by interrogating Xasha, there was little doubt their plan would not succeed.
On the off chance they could not take out Admiral Tonith with this plan, at least they could decimate his force and continue to back him and his masters into a corner until they were beaten down for good.
1725 Hours
Within the Black Spire Ruins
Inside the Sith Command Center
"Lady Dician! I, I was unaware you had recovered so swiftly!" Liara anxiously sputtered out at seeing her master walk towards her, with more strength, certainty, and determination in her step than the Falleen had seen in the Sith Lady for a long time.
"I only woke up half an hour minutes ago, but I sense you've been keeping yourself busy. Finding the traitor, preparing to evacuate our forces and resources, and having our blockade defend against the GA-Confederation force." Dician knowingly answered.
Quickly reassuring her prize acolyte, Dician continued, "You've done well. But now it is time to prepare to cut our losses. Have Tonith's ships withdraw to the command center and all surviving operations. Keep his hostages in reserve by the base until I give the word."
"Withdraw? But my Lady, we have-" Liara protested.
"I have foreseen the enemy's strategy, and we do not have the means to counter them right now." Dician humbly interrupted. "What matters now is that we save our prize and salvage what we can of our efforts from this world and our fallen cult."
An alarm blared through the command center, and the voice of Reep played over the shriek, "This is Admiral Tonith of the Haazen! We've suffered severe damage to propulsion systems and the hull, and Fleet Groups Four and Six have been completely blown apart by a baradium missile. The enemy is preparing to advance through the gap, and there's nothing we can do to stop them. We're preparing to abandon ship and recall all ships to the surface."
"Acknowledged, Haazen." Dician spoke to Reep through her comlink. "My acolytes and I will deliver coordinates to your surviving forces at once. We look forward to debriefing you personally and bringing you up to speed on our new strategy. I have a rather unique approach towards using your fleet going forward."
1800 Hours
Korriban, Darth Krayt's Citadel
Within the Aphra Family's Quarters
"I, I must confess, I had not expected my family and I to play host to such an honored servant such as your most prized Iteration." Korin joyfully told Nala and Darth Nox, even as Lona and Chelli worked hard to conceal their astonishment from the leader of the Sith Inquisitors.
"It was his personal request to learn under you until it was time for him to assume his primary function, and the Dread Lord himself authorized this transfer." Nala answered with her trademark detached and serene voice, before Nox continued that train of thought,
"We all expect you and your family to help him prove his worth and expand his understanding of our sacred purpose." Providing Korin a piece of flimsy and datapad, he gestured for the Iteration to leave him, and the clone made his way towards the two Aphra women.
"Good afternoon." The clone politely greeted his two female hosts. "It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
"Have you heard of us before now?" Lona feigned intrigue. "Or have you been hearing things from the people here on my husband's many… eccentricities?"
"A little of both, I suppose." The Iteration cryptically shrugged. "I hope to get to know you both quite well over the next couple weeks until Lord Krayt returns from his mission."
Eyes glowing with wonder, Chelli impulsively asked, "Mission? What mission?"
"I heard how he's about to go after my progenitor on Dathomir, planning to capture him while destroying the Jedi presence there alongside a Nightsister coalition to advance the Grand Design, all three actions in one fell swoop." The clone innocently answered. Voice growing lower and quieter, he subtly warned, "I wouldn't let this slip out until the time is right if I were you. I'd hate to have our Dread Lord be put at risk by a careless slip of information or an honest mistake on mine or anyone's part."
Biting back a snarky comeback, Chelli promised, "My mother and I aren't the kind of people to blab about those kinds of secrets to enemies, or consciously make any kind of mistake even once."
"Then I look forward to learning more about how the galaxy works from the three of you and your droid friends." The Edaan-clone, noticing Korin and his superiors' evaluating the three, replied in a louder voice, flashing that same unreadable smile to the Aphra women. "And I look forward to having many stimulating conversations with you both for as long as I'm in your custody."
Suddenly, Lona had a feeling that their chances of escaping Korriban were about to plummet right into complete oblivion. But if they could not escape, they could at least do something worthwhile and try to warn the Jedi about the careless blunder the Sith's most precious clone made on Krayt's whereabouts.
On the other hand, was he trying to give the Aphras a fighting chance at survival, only threatening them to keep any prying eyes off their backs? Honestly, Lona could not imagine a Sith-created clone casually admitting such a great opportunity to those that rewrote his programming. Could his implanted memories have altered his allegiances, or was there something else at work, something she had not taken into consideration beforehand?
She might have to take a tremendous gamble and ask the Iteration directly at some point when they were alone, if only to try and convince him to decide his own path in life. It was a dementedly crazy plan, but it was better than leaving anything to chance. And though she would never admit this, perhaps her daughter was rubbing off on her in more ways than one. It was scary enough to acknowledge this to herself, but she did not want Chelli's ego inflating any further.
1900 Hours
Inside Nala Se's Laboratory
"I take it you have news on my requisition for Lord Krayt." Nala assumed after Lord Nox contacted her via holocomm. To her terror, it was if almost all the oxygen in her lungs suddenly fled her being, and she collapsed to her knees while desperately gasping for her dear life.
"Let that be a final reminder to never assume anything when it comes to Sith, Doctor Se." Nox warned the elder Kaminoan. "But in this case, you are correct. By week's end, SCAR Squadron 99 will be transferred to the citadel for your procedure."
After deeply inhaling for four minutes until she was confident in her ability to stand again, Nala hatefully nodded, "Thank you for letting me know, Lord Nox. I will… start preparing the equipment and finish growing their control chips for them right away. You and Lord Krayt will not be disappointed in me."
"See that we aren't." Nox bade the Kaminoan farewell, unaware of how the conversation was being recorded by a certain sadistic droid proficient in millions of techniques in interrogations and protocol.
0-0-0 knew his mistress would appreciate this highly valued piece of information. Every piece of data he and his fellow two defecting droids gathered for the Aphra ladies would ensure their transition with the Alliance of Light and protect them from any possible reprisals.
2000 Hours
Falleen, Lajinda
Aboard the Mon Adapyne
"What's the prognosis, doc?" Mirta heatedly asked the medic after he and Ben emerged from Vestara's cabin.
"I cannot claim to be an expert on the Force, Commander Gev, but all of Lady Khai's vitals, even considering fatigue, are above normal, at least everything but her mind. Master Skywalker has a working theory on that last factor."
"I tried reaching into Vestara's mind, but it was as if a black wall was keeping it closed off." Ben remorsefully began. "But there's more. The darkness radiating off her is almost like an infection trying to reach her soul."
"So Phobar's trying to bring her back to their side." Mirta disgustingly growled out, earning an anxious nod from the Jedi. "Can you stop it, or buy us some time until we can get her to the rest of your order?"
"I'll do what I can, but healing's never been my forte." Ben forewarned. "We've put out a call for a healer from Shedu Maad, but there's no telling when they'll arrive, or if they can make it in time."
'If only Bard'ika was here.' Mirta seethed. If the Mandalorian healer was here, he could at least guide Ben through the steps necessary to give Vestara the extra boost of strength she needed to beat this dark virus.
Wait. Why didn't she think of this earlier? The answer was so obvious, it was almost laughable!
"Then we'll just have to look outside your Jedi to help Vestara." Mirta pulled out her holocomm and typed in an old frequency, one she had not used in over a decade.
A few minutes of waiting followed before the hologram of Bardan Skirata appeared, and he slowly smiled, "It's been a long time, Mirta. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call after years of being on opposing sides?"
"My new ally here, Ben Skywalker, needs your advice in saving his old cyar'ika from a Sith spell." Mirta began, getting right to business.
"Is that so?" Bardan curiously asked the Jedi. "Perhaps you should start from the beginning and be sure not to omit any detail, no matter how you might think some might be obscure."
"It's a long and complicated story, and Mirta knows more of what happened than me." Ben warned.
"Then you can both tell the tale, and I've got a few hours to kill before my next meeting with Mand'alor, anyway." Bardan calmly shrugged before warning Ben, "If you want my help, I need to know exactly what's happening to Lady Khai. It could very well mean the difference between life and death for your future wife."
Biting back his dismay at his love life being the butt of a joke, Ben defeatedly sighed. "All right. You've got yourself a deal."
Inside Vestara Khai's Subconsciousness
Slowly waking up, opening her heavy eyelids to see a black fog surrounding her, Vestara wondered where in the galaxy she could be. The last thing she remembered was taking an attack Phobar had aimed at Mirta back in Falleen's Observatory, and then everything disappeared into a dark nothingness.
For a fleeting moment, Vestara wondered if the blast had killed her, and she was in some sort of Force limbo. But the pain she felt in her side and head told her that she still lived, even if she did not know exactly where she was.
'Vestara…' A series of whisper could barely be heard by the ex-Sith in the void, but something about the voices tugged at her very core. It was both so familiar, but so distant at the same time. What did it mean?
'Vestara, why did you leave us? Why did you betray all that we believed in, all that you fought for, all that you loved? For a Jedi and the greater galaxy that would deliver so much hurt and pain onto you the moment you entered their crosshairs?!' The voices echoed throughout the empty space, louder this time and carrying a tinge of anger and so much more hurt in their tones.
"Who are you?" Vestara sternly asked, reaching out with all her Force-enhanced senses to try and pinpoint the voice's source before yelling, "Show yourselves!"
"Don't tell me you forgot me already, my daughter?" A broken and melodious voice came through to Vestara, all in her homeworld's native language of Keshiri, freezing her right in her tracks and nearly making her heart stop at hearing a voice she had not heard for nearly sixteen years before Abeloth destroyed her and most of the ancient city of Tahv.
"Mother?" Vestara heartbrokenly whispered, seeing the phantom of Lakha Khai, her mother, materialize before her, with her perfect beauty nearly resembling Vestara's except for her long and flowing black hair.
"You've grown so much but have suffered for so long and all alone that you've lost your way." Lakha lamented. "I, and the three others that once meant everything to you, am here to remind you of your potential, and the paths that are still open to you."
"What others?" Vestara guardedly asked, realizing that all this could be the design of Phobar or another Sith to try and reforge her mind and spirit to snuff out the light growing inside her.
"Everyone and everything you've tried to forget." Another voice close to Vestara's heart broke through, one strong, deep, and commanding that sent shivers of fear through her soul when Gavar Khai appeared. A renowned and powerful Sith Saber of the Lost Tribe before falling under Abeloth's sway and joining her growing army, he quickly tried to destroy his daughter the next time they met, and left Vestara with no choice but to kill him first, his arrival nearly convinced Vestara she was losing her grip on reality.
Quickly, two more specters appeared, those of a young and attractive Keshiri adolescent male, a Lost Tribe Apprentice named Ahri Raas, once Vestara's best friend before he betrayed her and was killed by Ben; and Olaris Rhea, her Sith Master, a feared, cunning, and brilliantly treacherous woman for two years before falling under Luke Skywalker's blade in the same battle as Ahri.
"Have you forgotten all those you have killed, my old friend? The innocents you slaughtered as my pupil for the Tribe, the Jedi you betrayed and left for dead when you tried to be one of them, and those that you destroyed in service to the Dark Side and the One Sith? How can you possibly think you can simply turn your back on all the darkness etched into your heart and very soul?" Olaris gloated to her former apprentice.
"Betrayal is in your very nature, just as it is in mine, old friend." Ahri scathingly added. "We could have been so good together, but you rejected my feelings and left me with that wretch of Yuvar Xal. Then you had to fall in love with a Jedi boy before breaking his heart as well."
Anger rising in her chest at the twisting of the truth, Vestara reminded the Keshiri's specter, "You betrayed our friendship first when you sabotaged our efforts against the Skywalkers. I gave you every chance to save yourself, but you were helpless because of your fear and devotion to Xal."
Smirking, Ahri admonished her, "How quickly you speak like a true Sith, Lady Kitai. Perhaps you are not as far gone from the Dark Side as we believe."
"You're wrong." Vestara desperately denied. "I'm no longer a Sith, and I never want to be one of you ever again! All it brought me- all of us- is loss, betrayal, and pain, and I want nothing to do with it for as long as I still live!"
"We shall see, my ever-treacherous daughter, for even if you break this darkness, we will always be with you. Remember, no one can run from their destiny forever, and yours is to be a Sith, no matter what delusions you might hold onto right now." Gavar warningly proclaimed, with Vestara knowing in her gut how this was the opening prelude of a tortuous ordeal of the spirit.
Well, I think that ends my longest chapter to date! I can't believe it only took me nine days to write this chapter! And it sets up almost everything perfectly for the interim chapter, and then Act 3. Just one more chapter before that happens. Oh, and you're all probably wondering why I decided to go back to keeping time in the story. Well, I figured that I need to keep track of when each day ends, and to make sure I monitor my chronicling accordingly, if that makes sense. I hope you all have plenty of constructive criticism for me in this piece, as it was a great labor of love.
So, how are you all doing on this warm but rainy day of Tuesday, April 5, 2022? I'm well, if a little sore in my right shoulder blade and down from a few other things. I'm also worried about a friend in California, as he and his family are going through hard times right now and I'm praying hard for them. And I'm still looking for full-time work, so that's a challenge. Oh, and I'm going to publish the previous chapter in a little bit, as I got it revised a bit by my Beta Reader, so that's a good piece of news. However, I don't think I'll send it to him, at least for a few days, so I can do my own revisions and let him get a break, as work and life are really draining him a lot. Well, I guess that's it for today. I'd best get this chapter stored away, and get some rest in. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
