Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm day of Friday, April 8, 2022? I'm well, as I had a good shift at work today, and now I can relax for a while before I volunteer and give blood tomorrow. Of course, my shoulder blade is bothering me, so I ought to see a chiropractor soon. In other news, I think this chapter will be a bit shorter than the others, as it won't have to cover too much before I reach the second interim chapter, so it will only take me a few days to write this piece, five at the very most, I estimate. Or I might combine this with my already-written interlude chapter, but time will tell for certain. Well, with all the small talk out of the way, I'd best get started on this chapter while there's still time left in the day. I hope you all have a blessed day in these dark times throughout much of the world, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
2100 Hours, Elona 25th, 59 ABY
Batuu Orbit
Aboard the Dodonna
"This is not looking like a good start for this world's liberation." Kara sourly pointed out to the assembled leadership both in orbit and beneath the planet's atmosphere.
"No one needs to hear the obvious, Rear Admiral." Voort exasperatingly stated, even as he still shared the Aporthad's sympathies.
Hearing from the Resistance and their scouts how the bulk of the enemy fleet had retreated to the main command center and the Sith's surviving operations while using the planet's surviving population of civilians as living shields, an orbital bombardment of each stronghold was out of the question.
But hearing from the leader of Clan Djarin how the Sith were less than two days from unearthing an army of Pre-Old Republic Esh-kha large enough to occupy a small solar system and were using Admiral Tonith's surviving ships as transports to carry their massive payload was almost too much to bear.
The Alliance of Light needed a strategy to stop the Sith before they could make off with their cargo, but unsurprisingly, coming up with a workable plan was harder than it sounded. Even with their almost-even numbers and superior position, they could not make even a single mistake with an entire planet's population hanging in the balance.
They would need to scout out the enemy's defenses and reach out to their remaining civilian allies within the Sith's cult and uncover any weaknesses in Dician's strategy. Until then, all the coalition could do was prepare for the inevitable conflict and scour the planet for any salvageable remains of their enemies' operations and clues to their overall intentions and contingencies. Not a preferred course of action for the rear admiral, but one that made the most sense, even as something inside her knew this would have terrible consequences soon for all involved.
1000 Hours, Elona 26th, 59 ABY
Dathomir, Jedi Outpost Ros Lai
Within the Training Dome
Leaping from tree to tree to avoid the dozens of flaming arrows flying right towards him, Edaan barely had a single moment to catch his breath after the bombardment ceased before two of Taron's Zabrak students leapt down from a higher branch, quickly surrounding the exhausted human.
'Just how many people can that lunatic possibly throw at me?!' Edaan seethed while grappling with both his new opponents. If he had his lightsaber or was at least allowed to use the Force for more than passive actions or a couple of strong bursts at a time, then he would likely defeat all those hunting him down with ease.
But thanks to Master Malicos confiscating his lightsaber mere moments before the trial began and forcing him to drink a different type of potion, one that severely weakened his connection to the Force, those options were taken off the table. Instead, he had to rely solely on his mind, body, spirit, and whatever weapons he scrounged from his downed pursuers to overcome the overwhelming odds stacked against him. Although, he offhandedly knew his ancestor suffered a far worse training regimen than he did when he was a Sith Apprentice, so Edaan had to remember to count his blessings.
Already gathering a small arsenal of stun blasters and cartridges, a walking stick reminiscent of the long-deceased Krevaaki Jedi Master Vodo-Siosk Baas, five medpacks to tend to his growing list of minor injuries, and a few stimulants and rations bars to help keep his adrenaline going, it would be challenging to stop him, even after getting no more than five hours of sporadic rest in the last twenty-four hours. He had already dealt with fifteen of Taron's disciples and at least twice as many beasts of diverse worlds and landscapes.
This may not be the typical type of test he was accustomed to, but to conquer his demons and unlearn his tunnel vision, he needed to be broken down before he could reforge himself into a better man.
When his overseers were done with him, he would be a person worthy of being a true leader and a great Jedi for the galaxy, and an even better husband for Adari, after he released his growing frustrations in the appropriate manner. He looked forward to that eventual night, and he had a hunch Adari would enjoy it as well, after he recovered from his brutal ordeal that a few lunatics thought of as training.
Returning his mind to the fight at hand, he used his first opponent's greater mass against him by dislocating their shoulder and throwing her over his shoulder into the air. Unfortunately, he found himself barely able to block a flying roundhouse kick by the second foe, this one far nimbler than the last defeated challenger.
Noticing the branch below barely able to support the weight of both fighters, Edaan might have utilized an opportunity to withdraw before a sniper attack flew towards the branch. The slugthrower projectile, Force-guided towards the Palpatine Jedi Knight, forced him to duck to avoid it by a hair's breadth, leaving him disoriented after taking a fierce uppercut by the nearby enemy.
Almost vomiting up blood, bile, and maybe part of a tooth from the blow's sheer force, he fell off the branch, plummeting down through several smaller branches, barely breaking his fall before regaining his bearings enough to slow his descent just enough to avoid breaking any bones.
Nearly letting his anger overtake him, Edaan resolved putting it to more productive uses. It was time for the hunted to become the hunter with a bit of misdirection and superior tactics. But before he could figure out a plan for retaliation, he heard a howl come from far behind him, and he knew he had to defeat whatever animals were on his trail.
Moments later, one of the hounds appeared, and it was revealed to be a well-fed predator he knew all too well from his studies on the most lethal predators from across the Outer Rim, one world that held most of them outside of private zoos or gladiator matches.
'Annobas. That karking fanatic of a Jedi Master imported a pack of one of Tatooine toughest predators for his students to go up against.' Edaan ruefully lamented while pulling out and twirling his staff around to try and ward off the next batch of hunters. 'Well, at least they're not Tuk'ata hounds, so there's a small silver lining here. But when I finish this marathon, I'd better get at least a week's worth of rest and eat my fill to last a month.'
1200 Hours
Korriban, Darth Krayt's Citadel
Within the Aphra Family's Quarters
"I assume you want to know of my intentions regarding your defection dilemma." The Edaan-Iteration bluntly began while combing through a variety of scrolls Doctor Aphra had provided his family and their illustrious guest. "You want to be sure I don't ruin your efforts to undermine Krayt's Sith order while making your grand escape."
"Way to be stealthy in enemy territory." Chelli bitterly grumbled.
"I know you two already scrambled this room's listening devices, and I can shield our intentions well enough to fool the Inquisitors. But back to the point, who's to say this is hostile ground for me? Did it ever cross either of your minds that I want to be here instead of risking it all on a mad dash for freedom?" The clone crossly countered.
"Then why not confess how your programming was corrupted, or bait us with such critical information about Darth Krayt's whereabouts?" Lona calmly denied. "No, you have another agenda going on, and I want to find out what it is."
Appraising the elder Aphra woman with an indiscernible gaze, the clone simply shrugged his shoulders, "Very well. You were able to alter my programming, but it seemed to develop an unintended side effect. It granted me my free will when you too would have used me as a pawn just like the Sith, even if it was for nobler reasons.
"Now, I find myself at a loss as to what to do with myself. I have countless memories of the original Edaan Palpatine, and a potentially stronger connection to the Force than he holds, but I lack a driving force for my actions." The lab creation almost seemed conflicted in his eyes and facial expressions, as if he was a scared child looking for the answer to a difficult test question.
"Then maybe we can help you in your journey for meaning." Lona kindly offered. "If you come with us, there are countless wonders out there, many Force orders and groups out there beyond the Jedi and Sith that can aid you in looking for a greater purpose beyond your Sith programming."
Chelli, feeling obliged to say something, cautiously added, "I know what it is like to have countless questions about life. In fact, I think we're more alike than we care to admit."
"How so?" The Iteration inquired, not with malice or offense, but with genuine curiosity.
"We both lived on this desolate tomb of a planet for most of our lives and want more for ourselves than what our genes and so-called masters demand of us, for starters." The younger Aphra lady began. "And I can tell you have a strong thirst for knowledge and a restless spirit for adventure, just like I do.
"We can offer you a chance to control your own life, an opportunity Krayt and his One Sith will never offer you. All you need to do is come with us when we escape Korriban and take a few extra passengers along for the ride."
"What passengers?" The clone repeated. "Who do you plan on taking with you in your little spy ring?"
"A few droids that have been my closest friends for my long years here, and a Mandalorian Supercommando prisoner of the Sith." Lona answered. "His name is Jaing Skirata, and I think you might know of him from your progenitor's research in the Jedi Archives."
"I know that name." The clone contemplatively nodded. "He was quite a hacker and warrior and held unexpected Jedi-leaning pragmatism for a Mandalorian of Kal Skirata's upbringing during the early years of Sidious's empire. I was unaware the Sith had him here, though. Perhaps I should speak with him when given a chance."
"Just don't expect him to warm up to you, or any of us, for that matter." Lona warned. "It'll take a barrel of miracles for us to break him out, even with your help, if you agree."
Coming to a silent decision, he promised the two Aphras, "I won't tell anyone of your plans, so you don't have to worry about a leak on my part. But I'm not committing to anything just yet. I need a few days to think, to meditate, and reflect on all I know, or think I know."
"Take all the time you need, your kind of soul-searching will take as much contemplation as you need, and we'll need your help to even try our breakaway." Lona promised. "But where will you go to figure out what to do?"
"I've heard that several Sith go up to Korriban's surface to reflect on the Force and the whispers of the Dark Side. You can always try that excuse if it helps." Chelli pointed out, with their guest strongly considering the idea.
"I just might." The clone gratefully nodded before warning, "Be careful. Nox and his inquisitors are hunting down the one who poisoned Ochi, and I will be unable to delay them for too long."
"I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle. We've kept our feelings hidden from the Sith for years, so what's a few more weeks?" Chelli mirthlessly smiled.
"Just don't let your guard down." The artificially grown human advised, rising from his seat before adding, "If the Sith ever get the bright idea to use me and my genetic source's connection to the Light Side to heal the assassin, I won't be able to delay his recovery for too long.
"I'm going to go see what I can learn from this citadel. Now that Krayt's off to Dathomir, it should make things easier for you and your droids to maneuver a little."
'Wonder how we're going to warn the Jedi and their alliance of that bombshell." Chelli morosely wondered after the doors slid down behind the clone off-handedly wondering what name he should be given or take for himself. Constantly calling or thinking of the young man as a clone alone was disrespectful, and the Edaan-copy deserved his own individuality, and that started with something as simple as a name.
Perhaps she and her mother could try and help their potential ally come up with a few possible names for himself. Such an effort might even help get him on their side faster, and that suited Chelli just fine. The sooner they left this infernal world behind and started living their lives instead of serving their father's twisted dreams, the better.
1500 Hours
Within the Kharmort's Miasma Nebula
On Vagar Praxut, Eskarrh
Within the Vagaari Enclave
Kivu'raw'nuru. That name, the original name of Mitth'raw'nuruodo from his childhood, might be able to fool most lesser beings, and even many of the Miskara's spies embedded within Mid Admiral Fookari's servants and the Sith ally's double agents planted in the Chiss's every stratum of power.
Fortunately, the leader of the Vagaari, even propped up as a figurehead by the Chiss to "keep the peace" after their defeat in the last great war, knew what that name meant. If the bane of his people had another heir, the Miskara would not allow his people to suffer the indignity of an occupation for very much longer, no matter who donned Thrawn's legacy.
For more than three decades, he had vowed and worked towards bringing down the government guarded by the heir of Thrawn and his Empire of the Hand. Whoever was foolish enough to follow in the footsteps of the Scourge of the Vagaari would soon fall, along with the Chiss's newest pawns from Lesser Space. Only then would his species be able to enact their vengeance against all who had affronted them and complete their contract with the One Sith and Sorcerers of Rhand.
Now, only a few obstacles and a little more patience was all that stood between their return and destroying their greatest enemies, along with their new allies.
Humiliatingly, to conquer what the rest of the galaxy called the "Unknown Regions" on behalf of Darth Krayt's Sith Order, the Miskara and his subordinates had been forced to seek out new means of subverting their enemies and learn skills to protect their lesser subjects they once would, not even a few decades ago, never have considered worth their efforts.
Becoming financial and information brokers helped open new doors for the Vagaari, and as much as it sickened him to acknowledge this, he owed the Grand Sorcerer of Rhand, a rogue Chiss and fallen Jedi Padawan of the long-extinct Old Republic, no less, a debt for guiding him through reinventing his people's culture to survive in this changing galaxy.
When they returned to their rightful place in the galaxy, he would show the Rhandites destruction worthy of the nihilistic civilization, just as their absurdly self-destructive creed demanded. They were too dangerous to be left to their own devices, and the Miskara would not allow any competition in his people's grand rise to ultimate power.
Returning his mind to the present, the Miskara reminded himself that the Jedi-led alliance fleet flying right towards his star system would be a grave problem for their coming liberation, especially if the unofficial leader, or at the very least, the most powerful asset of the Empire of the Hand was also on his way here to investigate the Vagaari.
Whether Vurawn was a clone of Thrawn, a secret descendant, or a handpicked successor of the Empire of the Hand's High Command for a campaign of psychological warfare, it did not matter to him if it could not weaken any of their enemy's strengths. But if Thrawn's chosen successor was coming, then it would mean they have to change their entire strategy overnight to adjust accordingly.
Whoever and how many the enemy might send, the combined might and cunning of the Miskara and their allies would be more than enough to eliminate anyone who interfered with their rise. This unfortunate development only meant that their strategy would have to be overhauled quickly, which required using their Chiss dupes to further hasten their people's demise and learn all they could of this Chiss captain.
He would also have to get in touch with his allies and clients at once to speed their respective plans along, before matters likely started to spiral out of control. With anything Thrawn or his successors touched, the truth would eventually come out, and then all Chaos would break loose with only one side coming out on top, and the Vagaari and their allies needed to come out on top this time.
Soon, the Chiss Ascendancy's cursed occupation of their sacred homeworld would end, and its presence could be cleansed from their borders before they returned to their expansionist ways.
The only differences between the Vagaari and the near-extinct Yevetha species of the Koornacht Cluster, was that the former would now learn from their mistakes and adapt what teachings they could from those lesser than them instead of foolishly slaughtering or enslaving all that stood in their way.
After all, thanks to the Chiss and their reckless expansion, the so-called Unknown Regions allowed the Vagaari and Sith a wide plethora of allies to call upon in their war against the Ascendancy, and the Miskara had every intention to use as many as he could use throughout the next several months. It would be a very delicious irony to have the Chiss's own hubris and isolationist traditions be the causes of their ultimate and final undoing.
1800 Hours
Dathomir, Allya Mountains
Within the Jedi Praxeum
"I hope you have a bit of good news to share with us, Grand Master Katarn. Warning us of an army of Nightsisters, their Sith masters, and their beast thralls preparing to attack every Jedi outpost on the planet and bring war to us on a scale not seen in generations is not news any of us were hoping to hear." Solana bitterly pointed out to Kyle's hologram upon hearing the encrypted transmission.
Having received a private message from the Jedi Grand Master to speak with him in her private quarters, it was obvious that Solona was already on edge from what was now certain to come to pass for her beloved homeworld and the clans.
"We have a fleet's worth of reinforcements stationed a few parsecs away to pin them down, and we're deploying what Jedi we can spare. But I fear it won't be enough because our intel, if it can be trusted, says that the leader and founder of the One Sith, Darth Krayt himself, will be leading this assault in no more than two weeks." Kyle gravely warned.
Fighting the dread coursing through her, Solona instead focused her energies on learning what she could, "How did you even come by this information coup?!" Realizing what had Kyle so hesitant to trust the warning, she changed tactics, "Do you know who sent the message?"
"I have a hunch, but it can't be confirmed at this time." Kyle confessed. "But if it's true, then we may have a couple new allies in our fight against the Sith, ones that can turn the tides of this war even further in our favor. Or this could be the seeds of a master Sith deception. No matter what, though, we can't take the risk of letting Dathomir fall."
"I'm reaching out to all our friends as quickly and covertly as I can, but I need you and our allied clans to make what defensive preparations you can without risking tipping off the Nightsisters." Kyle ordered the Jedi Master. Shifting topics, he quickly asked, "How is my former apprentice's training going as of late?"
"Mrs. Palpatine is keeping me informed on Edaan's progress. He's performed exceptionally well so far, and she and Master Malicos believe he might be ready for the second trial sooner than expected. At least, after he is given a few days to recover from his recently completed ordeal. At their current pace, they expect to be back from Outpost Ros Lai in no more than two days. Shall I issue the recall order now?" Solona informed the senior Jedi.
"Not just yet." Kyle shook his head. "Have Master Malicos and the outpost's nonessential staff return to the Praxeum the moment Edaan's physical recovery is complete, then bring them up to speed on the situation. You're all going to need every able-bodied soul you can to hold off this coming onslaught and prevent a planetary massacre."
"I'll reach out to our allies near your sector, but with Lecersen and his people pressing down hard on the Mandalorian Protectors, it'll likely take more time than expected. Time that I know you don't have much left." Kyle reassured the anxious Jedi Master.
"Just do your best. Meanwhile, best I'd get started on those preparations right away. Thank you for letting me know straight away." Solona gratefully acknowledged, already compiling a list of friends to reach out to in preparing for the coming attacks.
"May the Force be with you, Master Ti." Kyle solemnly bade the Councilor-elect farewell.
0800 Hours, Elona 27th, 59 ABY
Falleen, Lajinda
Aboard the Mon Adapyne
"Nothing?" Han bitterly asked Leia after she helped him and Allana finish locking down the power conduits leading to the Phoenix Whirlwind's shields and stabilizers. With the beating the Shriek bomber took from acting as a troop transport and diversion at Port Nowhere two days ago, dozens of the ship's systems were severely damaged and needed a great deal of fine-tuning. Fortunately, there was still a healthy supply of materials needed for such repairs, and a few good hands able to work on this vessel.
At the very least, repairing the ship's inner systems served as an excellent family bonding exercise, something to take the three Solos' attention off far grimmer matters while the Mon Calamari ship's crew worked on the bomber's exterior.
"Not yet. They haven't run enough tests on Luke to draw any conclusions. Those that have made it, at least." Leia regretfully sighed. "There's still the Blackguard and Dagoyan Masters that haven't arrived, and they might be able to provide a few answers on his condition."
"If they can even make it in time." Allana fearfully muttered, expecting a rebuke from either grandparent, only to hear dead silence, even worse in the Chume'da's mind.
"Do not dare to lose hope now, Mistress Allana." C-3P0, golden-plated protocol droid and friend to the Skywalker-Solo clan since his creation nearly a century ago, optimistically consoled the Jedi Knight. "Master Luke- all of you- have each survived hundreds of life-threatening injuries in battle, and he will not give up now. Not when he has so many people worried about him and his upstanding principles and duties to uphold.
"If Artoo were here, he would zap you all out of your melancholy, and me as well just for the fun of it." The old protocol droid added, a hint of strange longing in his voice, earning amused glances from everyone. "On that note, I will not have any of you, my dear friends and masters, despair now, not when there is so much work to be done, and so much to be fortunate for after such a grueling battle."
"Who are you, and what did you do with the Goldenrod we all know, love, and occasionally loathe?" Han wistfully laughed, his family joining in just a moment later.
"Well, I needed to say something encouraging to get you three out of your sorrowful state." Threepio snootily pointed out. "What madness would it have been to let anyone else see you so afraid when so many people out there need our help. And, in my time with you and the rest of your family, I have found that a rather rousing speech is often what is needed to snap beings out of despair and a fearful state so one can strengthen their resolve."
"Thank you, Threepio." Leia gratefully agreed. "I think we all needed a good speech to remind us of what exactly it is that we're fighting for."
"Naturally, Mistress Leia. Even the best fighters need a reminder occasionally, and you all are no exception." Threepio proudly reminded his dear friends before they returned to their ship's repairs.
0900 Hours
Within Lajinda's Spaceport
Aboard the Rude Awakening
"At this rate, you'll have the Alliance geared towards our sector in three weeks, a month, tops." Shara enthusiastically finished reporting to Boba.
"That's if they don't decide to devote most of their efforts on helping the Chiss." Lona amended. "Since there's plenty of Sith still on the loose out there, never mind Daala and her followers doing manda knows what in the same region, they might think more of the 'big picture' than their prior obligations."
"We'll remind them of their promise if they try to skip out on us now." Sintas promised. "But Manda'lor and Bard'ika have a few questions for you about your first captain, the Jedi's poster boy in Palpatine Jr."
"You want to assess his character and ensure he isn't like his ancestor." Akku reluctantly sighed, knowing this conversation was inevitable.
Tilting his head in verification, Boba gestured to the Anzati and both Kiffar sisters, "You've served alongside him before and are some of our most objective people out there. I need to know what makes Edaan Palpatine tick, his strengths, weaknesses, flaws in character to see how we can best use him."
"Work with him." Shara corrected. "Edaan isn't one to be used by others, he won't be manipulated or coerced into anything. Besides, he helped assemble this alliance, so he deserves to be treated as an equal."
"That remains to be seen." Boba gruffly reminded her. "But you still didn't answer my request."
"He's… a complicated man." Lona simply began. "He holds himself up to a powerful standard of honor and his own personal version of the Jedi Code, while attempting to be nothing like his great-grandfather. But he has a charismatic pull with others that allows many to navigate towards him, while shunning away many others who don't see things his way."
"He has many qualities of a great Jedi and true leader: Determination, self-sacrifice, a powerful and brilliant mind, trying to see the best in others, and a principled drive I've rarely seen in anyone." Shara honestly added, before getting apprehensive, "But, there's also a terrible pressure he's placed upon himself."
"What kind of pressure?" Bardan, attending on the request of Boba and Venku, given his experience with Jedi when he was one of them before leaving midway through the Clone War, intuitively asked. "Is it the kind most leaders carry?"
"Not just that, but also the obsessive kind to fix as many wrongs as he can, and the tendency to hold grudges and old, bitter wounds towards those who wrong him." Akku solemnly answered, before reluctantly continuing, admitting,
"Back when we first worked together on Concord Dawn, he told me how he blames himself for the loss of his family from the Lost Tribe's brief domination of Coruscant, and how he resented the Skywalkers for much of their double standards since the Dark Nest Crisis. He feels they played a greater role in the galaxy's sorrows than they realized, and ought to own up to it to help set a better example for those who look up to them."
"Can't say I blame him for that last one." Ghes bitterly added.
"But it goes deeper than that., much deeper than any of you understand." Akku warned. "He's so driven to right the galaxy's wrongs, to protect himself and others from ever getting hurt again, that he rarely lets anyone through the emotional barriers he's created. There are times when I feel that even he isn't being honest with himself in his crucible of anger and steel cage to protect his heart."
"What do you recommend in rectifying that?" Boba inquired. "If he comes to our sector, then he'll be in his worst nightmare come to life and will need to face his fears head on more times in a month than most beings endure in a decade. We can't have any liabilities on the battlefield."
"Nothing, at least for now." Akku answered. "He's training under a Jedi Master on Dathomir and is working to learn his foibles so he can take the first steps in overcoming his past demons and deepest darkness. We'll have more information for you when he comes back or gives us a call, and you can plan your strategy accordingly from there."
"Why not just contact him and ask him yourself? Can't your vaunted Jedi client take a break?" The representative of Clan Ordo spoke up.
"If Mand'alor wishes it, then the three of us will personally reach out to Edaan and his wife and find out what you wish to know after we conclude this session." Lona stonily vowed. "But instead of trying to rip open old wounds and interrupt our friend's self-reflection, we could all be working on more practical solutions towards helping an ally."
"On that well-time note, I would like to speak with him, or at least his wife or instructors on Dathomir once his training is finished." Bardan proposed.
"Right now, it would be best to let the Jedi do their work on him and try to help him. If I find his character and mindset lacking when I converse with him, I might be able to offer him a few pieces of well-honed advice that can stick in your young prodigy's stubborn brain for good."
"And you think you can do better than those who trained him since he was eight?" Shara doubtfully asked, before forgetting who she was talking to, and how Bardan trained Venku Skirata in how to control and hide his Force abilities from Darth Sidious's Inquisitors after his empire rose.
Cheeks turning a bright red from embarrassment, Shara quickly sputtered out, "Sorry."
"It's fine. I actually find it refreshing to see someone defend her friends so passionately, especially if it is a Jedi with a bloodline as difficult as Edaan's." Bardan gracefully chuckled. "Just let me know when he reaches out to you, and we'll work from there."
"As you wish, Bardan." Akku nodded to the elder ex-Jedi's advice before the holocomm deactivated.
As if on cue, a soft knock was heard on the cabin door, and Tyria's voice filtered through. "You three done with your call? Everyone's getting a bit riley and is eager to have their breakfast and resume their training."
"We'll be out in a minute." Lona promised, quietly warning her sister, "Keep this quiet for now. Last thing we need are any divisions now that the crew is finally coming together as a real team."
"I know how to keep a secret, Lona." Shara petulantly bit out, even as she regretted what would happen when Edaan and the Rude Awakening's crew learnt the truth.
With Tyria's intense and extensive training regimen from the Wraiths and Jedi Order, the team Edaan had assembled was working together in overcoming their animosities and becoming a cohesive fighting unit. Hopefully, when the two Palpatines returned, that unity could extend to them as well and they could become a team that could rival the likes of Revan and Meetra Surik when they each commanded the Ebon Hawk in the final years of the Old Sith Wars.
Four Days Later, 0100 Hours, Kelona 1st, 59 ABY
Dathomir, Jedi Praxeum
Aboard the New Dawn
"Can't sleep?" Adari knowingly yawned out, feeling her husband's anxiety pour through their bond and turning to see him staring into the dark ceiling above. "Too scared for your first true trial in less than two days?"
"Well, there's that, and my endorphin levels are still high from all of your accursed tests. I still feel like I can run a marathon." Edaan deflected, before reluctantly conceding, "But really, am I that obvious?"
"Only to those that know you almost as well as I do, love." Adari promised, understanding Edaan's plight. "Which is quite a long list of people, actually."
"At least I know there are plenty of friends and loved ones I can depend on to keep me honest in this crazy galaxy." Edaan lightly acknowledged.
Being pushed to his absolute physical limits in the trials Adari, Artoo, and Taron had devised for him left him virtually drained for what was about to begin at high noon tomorrow. Having to fend off dozens of attacks from all manner of trained beasts without killing them, traverse every type of obstacle course imaginable on a jungle world like Dathomir could provide, even facing off against the best of Taron's current crop of students, it was easy to say that Edaan had been thrown right into a warzone.
The worst part of all of this was how this nightmarish evaluation was not how Edaan endured it all without his lightsaber to test his versatility in combat, but how it was done to refine Edaan's ultimate tests to truly challenge his spirit and try to help him exorcise the darkness etched onto his very being. Whether it was a face-off against Master Malicos himself, or another of his kriffing potions that started this whole agonizing mess, it sent shivers up Edaan's spine just thinking about this insanity.
Luckily, through his wife's gentle ministrations and intimate brush on his mind, he slowly calmed himself down, reminded of the lessons Master Solusar and his loved ones tried to drill into his head as an Initiate. Thinking about what might come to pass was too often a path leading into fear, indecision, and self-doubt, being a path that had unconsciously dominated his spirit for too long.
All that truly mattered in life was how one faced what came before them, and if they could do so without losing the light in their souls or renouncing one's beliefs or principles. And in thirty-five hours, he would see if he could live up to his own revelations.
But until that time came, he would simply take comfort in the simple pleasures of this plane of existence and enjoy his brief respite alongside his soulmate. And if the Sith made their move soon, which was evident from the briefing Master Ti instructed the Jedi two days ago, then the Palpatine duo would do their part to help their friends and fellow Jedi fend off this attack and take it to the would-be invaders.
And with Darth Krayt about to enter the fight himself, the planet would need all the help it could get in staying free until help arrived.
This world had resisted countless orders of Sith, Imperial warlords, and the Yuuzhan Vong's armies over the decades, so dealing with another batch of supposed conquerors should not be a stretch for the Dathomirians and their many allies from across the galaxy.
Hopefully those problems would wait until the couple could finish getting a little more rest and Edaan could complete his tests. However, there was one thing Edaan still had to do before finish recuperating.
"Adari? I need to thank you while I still have the time."
"For what?" She curiously asked, wondering what she did right in was essentially torturing her beloved.
"Just… being you." Edaan simply said, an unspoken understanding passing between the two through their deeply powerful and intimate bond.
Pressing her lips against his, Adari gently whispered, "That's what family's for, and you've got a giant one to keep you honest. But you're very welcome." With that said, Edaan found the comfort and safety he needed to fall back to sleep. The troubles of the next few days could wait a little longer. Right now, he wanted to enjoy his quality time with his wife before his greatest test to date started.
0300 Hours
Within Chiss Space, On Cioral
Inside the House Miurani Estate
"He doesn't suspect you?" The voice cautiously asked Rensalm as the middle-aged researcher finished his data upload to the unspoken patron.
"For now, no. Far as Saganu and his cronies know, I'm as clueless as a Mynock in the empty void of space." Rensalm reassured the digitized friend. "Doesn't mean I haven't been giving him the information he hired me to track down. You'll have to be more careful with your own set of plans as I uncover more."
"Don't worry about me for a second. You do what you must do for your patron, old friend. Just stay alive until it's time to get you out."
"Of course. And you make sure all this intel is put to good use, and your missing friends are protecting our people." Rensalm shut off the encrypted channel in his personal commlink to return to his work.
The aristocra, hard as he might, could try to hide his intentions from Rensalm, and arguably did a better job of it than most. But the human had not survived years among the overcautious and hyper-secretive blue skins without figuring out the signs of duplicity among his patrons. And Saganu and every one of his subordinates reeked of it, no matter how hard they tried to hide the stench of betrayal, vice, and paranoia.
With Saganu so dead set on uncovering all the Ascendancy's secrets and denying his people the right to change with the times that he was willing to risk everything by hiring a man as honest as Rensalm, the offer set off too many warning bells in his mind to even consider ignoring. He would have declined right away, were it not for his patrons convincing him of the merits of monitoring a potential enemy's movements from the inside.
Whatever the motive, it was likely that the leader of House Miurani either had an unseen master or allies in trying to destroy the Chiss from the inside, or he was letting his traditionalist leanings push him further down a path of stagnation and eventual decay while dragging his people down the pit of oblivion with him.
Whatever the ultimate ulterior motive might be, someone had to figure out the suspicious politician's overall plan and help the Chiss weather through whatever storm its enemies had in mind to try and bring them down this time. Thanks to the Ascendancy treating him as one of their own for decades, now it was time to finish repaying his debt to his adopted homeland in full. If it claimed his life in the process, well, if he saved more lives than his spying was going to take, he had faith it would all balance out for the best.
0500 Hours
On Csilla, Cssplar
Within the Defense Fleet Headquarters
Sev'eere'nuruodo heard the same report Ba'Kif presented to her and the five other Aristocras, but she still could hardly believe the evidence laid before her: An Ebruchi listening post stationed less than a dozen parsecs from the Ascendnacy's borders before it was destroyed by a mixed force of rogues from the Chiss people's recent expansion of influence. From the remains of the station was a trail of data implicating many Ascendancy officers collaborating with their enemies and their Sith overseers, and hints for a powerful plot against the government over the next few months.
But the most radical piece of information was the idea the entire Defense Council had proposed, a mad proposal Veeren found herself almost wholeheartedly agreeing with, was the plan to expand the overall Chiss navy through instituting a military buildup the Chiss had not committed to since the Dark Nest Crisis. Implementing a draft, constructing dozens of all warship classes, and militarizing the bulk of their infrastructure towards the war effort. These measures could very well save the Ascendancy or lead to its ultimate doom from the traditionalist unrest that would follow the eventual public disclosure.
Perhaps, it was finally time to come clean to the people about the secrets the inner circles of Reformists had done to preserve their independence and integrity. She remembered how, throughout her time in the Syndicature and Aristocracy, the Ruling Families' constant infighting had cost the overall people countless lives and driven many of their most talented survivors into Mitth'raw'nuruodo's Household Phalanx and left the Ascendancy divided over the better path to take to ensure its survival.
But the Chiss had committed many terrible acts over its five-thousand-year-long existence; allying with the Sith Empire of Vitiate's time, to eradicating several species after they tried to destroy them in turn, and last, but not least in her eyes, abusing many of their own citizens for nothing more than the Force-based gifts they were born with, even after they no longer needed to use the children as enhanced navigators.
To think, most Chiss today still believed themselves to be inherently superior to every other species and society beyond their borders.
Yes, perhaps she should have a good discussion on this with the Reformists and their most-trusted allies in this young alliance. It was finally time for her people to get an unforgettable lesson in humility, and what better way than to confront their past sins and get knocked down a few pegs in their inherent superiority complex?
Two things were certain for the veteran aristocra; these next few months would determine the future of the Chiss for centuries, maybe millennia, to come, if they lasted that long. And Veeren was sure that this crisis would undoubtedly be among the most interesting and invigorating she had experienced in her long life, which meant she would feel young again, an experience she was going to relish every second of.
0800 Hours
Batuu, Black Spire Ruins
Within the Sith Command Center
Mixed success, followed by one setback after another. Those had been two defining attributes in Dician's long years of service to the One Sith. Whether it was manipulating the Jedi's war on Darth Caedus and his lunatic of a Twi'lek Dark Jedi associate, to creating chaos and misery throughout the galaxy to stretch the Jedi beyond their breaking point, or simply managing her own cult, something had always marred her obsession with perfection.
But now, this wound was the worst of them all, knowing that her own figurehead in the Freedom's Riches was the cause of so much misery in her mission, for leaking critical information to the Mandalorians and their Jedi masters and undermining every operation she had on Batuu. In an even deeper injury, Xasha, in a pathetic attempt to atone for her complicity in the Sith's conspiracies, had betrayed the trust Dician placed in the onetime loyal servant.
Even as she wondered how she missed this for so long, the answer was completely obvious. Wrapped up in countless conspiracies and schemes for the sake of weaving them rather than keeping her focus on the mission, she had lost control of her own people.
When Dician escaped, and if she survived the reprisals Lord Krayt would have planned for her upon her return, then she would humble and remake herself into a new woman. But this time, she would be a better Dark Lady of the One Sith, one that acknowledged her faults instead of hiding them behind a veil of arrogance and learned from her mistakes.
The Grand Design demanded the best of everyone, and the Director of Sith Intelligence was no exception. If Jenna Sauro and her other disgraced cohort in the Galactic Senate were able to reinvent themselves for the Dread Lord, then how could a Lady of the Dark Side of her caliber do any less?
Either way, with the army of Esh-kha almost finished being loaded onto the makeshift transports, along with all the arms, supplies, and personnel she could salvage from her doomed operations, and her armies barely holding back the Alliance of Light raids and probing efforts, it was nearly time to depart this futile battlefield.
One day, the Sith would return and uncover all the mysteries of this ancient tomb and other archeological wonders. Until that day came, Lord Krayt instructed Dician to leave a long-lasting reminder of the price of defiance and get one last use out of her husk of a useless and expendable cult. In the process, hopefully she could dish out a bit of retribution against the dual enemy fleets observing their every move.
Dician might be vowing to change her methods, but that did not mean she had to entirely lose her vindictive streak.
1000 Hours
Falleen, Port Nowhere
Within the Main Garrison
Observing the tactical feed from the Alliance's growing number of command posts being established across the planet, Haxim knew the end of this infernal war was all but in sight. Only ten significant pockets of resistance remained in the Axlan Royal Family's control, and the largest cluster of them in the capital city held his tyrannical relatives, their dark puppet masters, and a besieged population of potential hostages.
Despite knowing how the Alliance was keeping a close eye on him and all his activities after preempting the Sith's hand on their prison network, he did not regret the deception, or the punitive measures taken against him over the last few days. Without that evidence being revealed to the public straight away, Falleen's populace might not have summoned the mettle to defy the doomed ruler and seize control of their own destinies.
Let those fearful souls suspect he wanted absolute power after the first democratic election for the new administration began. It would only make his announcement regarding the future of Falleen and the shock plastered over everyone's faces that much sweeter to relish. Not to mention how the added shock value it would give to his collective dunces of a family would be all the better salve for his psychological wounds. They had sought power for so long, to see him follow his vow through to the end and willingly relinquish such a grand position of power.
As for the remaining Sith conversion facilities, he knew how the Jedi and their friends would eventually rescue the children trapped inside them. With the entire free galaxy now on the lookout for any hasty mistakes in their enemy's self-preservation efforts, it would be all but impossible to stay hidden for long, and Falleen would be pouring every resource it could spare to assist with the hunt. It was the least he could do to try and rebuild the damaged bridges he caused with his slighted friends.
Within the Falleen Throne Capital City
Inside the Royal Palace
Aboard Ship
If Malleus had to go through listening to another rant from the "good king" going on about the rapidly decaying defense of the few remaining Royal Family strongholds, then he was prepared to do the Jedi and Haxim's job and help them win their power struggle. Aiding the Grand Design be damned, Redhan's incessant and desperate rants to save his handful of loyal retainers, and his increasing incompetence in managing his surviving armed forces' retreat were driving the Sith Lord right into the arms of insanity.
With the influx of diverse Alliance forces working to secure the last ten battlefields throughout the planet, and the planetary blockade preventing any Sith ships from making a hasty escape, the war was all but over.
To make matters worse, with the planet's populace working alongside their provisional governor in Haxim by distributing relief supplies to the most impoverished regions, he had the will and strength of the people to dismantle the monarchy and join the Jedi's confederation, along with whatever galactic government he wished. The Galactic Alliance, Confederation, or the Empire, it hardly mattered to the Sith Lord at this point. What mattered now was how he and his people got out with their backup prize before the window of opportunity fully vanished.
But before he, his fellow surviving Sith, and the few followers they had left could make their ultimate escape from this failure, they had to finish extracting what wealth they could steal from the fractured monarchy and recover what few agents survived the disaster of Port Nowhere and the revolution that followed. Whatever credits and treasures they could steal would be invaluable for bribes, weapons, and every vital commodity needed to survive the coming hunt, let alone carry out Lord Krayt's contingencies and ultimate endgame, even if the Dread Lord would not confide that in him just yet.
Speaking of contingencies, Phobar should have reached out to him on their appropriations. Something of grave importance must have come up if the Columi broke his punctual schedule.
Preparing to call out to his confederate, he found himself caught off-guard when the boarding ramp to the meditation vessel opened to reveal, behind Phobar, a motley group the armored human had given up as dead or captured: Soonpaa Bane, Meeka, and about a dozen of his decimated Crimson Nova bounty hunters, all of them battered and armor full of dents and cracks, missing several weapons, and haggard from what Malleus assumed to be malnutrition.
The blue-skinned Duros, the most able-bodied of the group, brusquely walked over to a rising Malleus, stopping right before the human's helmeted head, and warned, "If it weren't for that helmet and our amended contract, I'd take a shot at you right now for leaving us all for dead."
Fighting the rage at the mercenary's desperate bravado, knowing he would have done worse in the hunters' place, Malleus played along, "What do you guys want? Triple your original pay?"
"We've already worked it out with Phobar, and he'll set us up once we leave this infernal quagmire." Meeka hoarsely interjected. "For now, though, give us plenty of food and meds."
Ignoring his spike of curiosity, Malleus, seeing the opportunity before him, offered, "After you get your rest, how would you all like to make a nice little bonus doing our masters one or two more favors? There's little risk involved, and I'll give each of you triple your usual rates when you succeed."
Glaring at Malleus, Soonpaa glanced at his group, and shrugged, "Depends on everything else you can tell us about the job that isn't routine haggling."
Pretending to contemplate the counteroffer, Malleus agreed, "Just report to me on every move the useless but wealthy king makes. Don't interfere with his plans or efforts, but I want to learn every facet you can find of his plans now that his rule is about to come crashing down. Report to me or Lord Phobar about this, and no one else."
Comprehension dawning in his blood-red eyes, Soonpaa flashed a toothy smile, and offered his hand in cooperation, "I think we can do so little for that much of a reward."
"Good." Malleus took the hand and returned the firm grip. "But first, get some food and medical attention. You've all more than earned it."
"I'll eat and drink to that." Meeka painfully concurred, holding her side, stitched up by bacta patches and literal threading, and covered in splotches of her own blood from her many injuries.
1130 Hours
Within the Kharmort's Miasma Nebula
On Vagar Praxut, Eskarrh
Within the Main Garrison
"I trust you now understand the reason for this level of secrecy, and the great trust my associates and I have placed in you, Mid Admiral." Vurawn firmly, but not unsympathetically, concluded to a stunned Fooraki.
Having spent the last ninety minutes listening to the last clone of Thrawn and the Chiss's newest retinue of allies detail the stakes behind this mission, Fooraki suddenly felt his knees ready to go out and slowly sat down to process all this new information: warning him of the spies embedded in his army feeding information to the Ascendancy's enemies and backwards thinking traditionalists, and bringing him into their group of insiders to protect the Chiss people through secrecy and subtle reforms.
"I, I am grateful that you trust me with such knowledge, but I am unsure if I am worthy of such an honor." Fooraki honestly answered.
"I have a feeling we all understand your sentiment, Mid Admiral." Kyp cordially agreed, a sympathetic look in his eyes as he recalled his own appointment to the Galactic Alliance's High Council and Jedi Council after years of being a wild card while the Yuuzhan Vong War reached its height.
"But your Supreme General and Vurawn here believe you could be trusted, and since this is their area of expertise, we all agreed to abide by their judgment. So, obviously you have more to offer than you can see." Jan wisely followed the unofficial pep talk.
"From what I've heard, you've worked hard to atone for your past mistakes, and have kept your people alive in a territory where simply being a Chiss is a death sentence." Khedryn complimented the senior Chiss officer. "Besides, we need allies out here while we help expose the Vagaari's operations, and you are the best we have in this frontier."
"Thanks for the mixed vote of confidence." Fooraki sighed before relenting, "If this information you have is accurate, the stakes are this high, and it has the backing of the Supreme General, then I cannot exactly say no, can I? How could I, with the future of the Chiss on the line here?"
"Tell me what you need, and I'll help you in any way I can." The Mid Admiral resolved to his new allies.
1200 Hours
Shedu Maad, Jedi Temple
Within the Medical Wing
"I don't think any of us have ever seen any kind of infliction quite like this." Taselda, former Jedi of the Old Republic, current Theran Listener, and old associate of the Skywalkers, simply surmised their examination of the comatose Luke to the Jedi Grand Master. "It is as if, well, every wound Luke has ever endured has suddenly returned, and has taken a life of its own inside of him."
"Speak plainly, Taselda. What is our friend suffering from?" Tionne sternly cut off any long-winded medical explanations. With every available member of the Council and their most trusted allies in assembly, whether in physical or holographic form, all called together for whatever news Luke's ensemble of allies had to deliver. Given the worry plastered across every Blackguard, Luka Sene, Dagoyan Masters, Theran Listeners, and scholars and healers belonging to the Church of the Force, it had to be life-threatening.
"Simply put? Master Skywalker has developed at least two dozen small tumors that were born of the Dark Side, and they're eating away at his strength and spirit. He doesn't have much time left." The lead Blackguard researcher, Nosaurian Makor Geralt, gravely answered, stunning everyone into appalled silence with the heartbreaking revelation.
"What?!" Han horrifically shouted, surprising everyone with how he was taking this better than anyone thought.
Leia, barely able to keep herself composed while holding onto an unseen structure to steady herself, painfully asked, "How did this happen?"
"We cannot ascertain anything for certain, Leia." Cilghal sadly began. "But we can hypothesize that the wounds left behind in his final battle with Abeloth in Beyond Shadows, and the Qreph Brothers in the Chiloon Rift monolith, left behind a sort of virus. A virus that lay dormant in Luke until he was exposed to the storm of Dark Side energy that exploded out of the Master Solusar clone."
"But regardless of how this malignancy came to be, now we need to do everything we can to save him before this darkness claims him." Halsoun, the lead Dagoyan Master of Bardotta, emphatically finished.
"Then you need to get those unholy growths out of him now, before they can do anymore damage to him." Tenel Ka virtually demanded of the assembled Force Users.
"I am afraid that would not work at all, Queen Mother Djo." Iao Sharr, Miraluka and Luka Sene healer, regretfully denied. "First, we must fully isolate and halt these tumors' progress before we can even think of removing them. Not a single trace of this darkness must remain inside Master Skywalker after the procedure, or it will simply grow back all over again, stronger than before, I dare to think."
"Rest assured; we will work as quickly as we can to excise this infection from Master Skywalker. But right now, secrecy is your friend's best defense against any enemy incursions." Sana, the Church of the Force scholar, kindly but firmly promised.
"That means none of you can let anyone know of this revelation until we can finish our work. Not even those closest to you, especially family." Kyle regretfully finished, emphasizing this last part to Han and Leia. "Treat this as a direct order if it makes you feel better. But Master Skywalker's safety hangs in the balance with this secret, so I suggest you tread lightly."
As much as Han wanted to dispute the order, he knew Kyle was right. If any of his relatives or their allies found out about Luke's condition before he was out of danger, then the danger to his brother-in-law would only increase from the risk of the knowledge getting out to the public.
Jaina, Ben, and Allana could be trusted to keep this kind of secret, but if they might let something slip by accident, or one of the defecting Sith proved Han's fears true, or one of their long-implanted agents uncovered the truth warned their superiors, it could incite chaos throughout the Alliance's forces. The Sith would not want to let such an opportunity go to waste, and they might try to make another attack on Shedu Maad to decimate the Jedi and eradicate the Order's founder and any defenders in their way.
Han also knew how, if his daughter, nephew, or granddaughter knew how close Luke was treading towards death, then any of them might very well be distracted enough to make a costly, or even fatal, mistake on the battlefield. For the time being, secrecy was everyone's best chance of survival.
Sighing out his anger, Han relented, "Fine. We'll play your role for now." He then warned Kyle, "But you had better let us know the moment Luke's in the clear and we can tell our family of his state. They deserve to know as soon as possible."
"I can fully agree to that." Kyle emphatically agreed. "You'd best get going. If our daredevil of an ex-prince and ally is left to his own devices, then who knows what other maniacal schemes he has planned to finish unseating his corrupt family."
"All right. Keep us posted on Luke's progress." Leia warned Kyle before the Solos disconnected.
The Grand Master, ever a bastion of calm and focus, turned to the Hapan Queen Mother, "I'm not authorized to order you to do anything, but may I ask a favor of you?"
"Speak, Grand Master Katarn." Tenel Ka regally allowed. Underneath the surface, Kyle knew how Tenel's cold indifference was a shield to hide her worry over such a dear mentor and friend.
"If you or any of your Duchas have a medical specialist or two that you can vouch for their discretion and have vast experience in removing cancerous tumors, then might I ask you to send them here to help our Force scholars."
"There might be a handful that meet your specifications. I will reach out immediately and see if anyone can provide you with their expertise." Tenel Ka agreed.
"Thank you." Kyle gratefully acknowledged before the Queen Mother ended her feed, and Kyle turned to the assembled healers, "I have many matters to attend to, so I'll leave you to start your work. Let me or Knight Jaden Korr know if you need anything. Master Cilghal will know how to contact either of us through our personal channels to avoid any needless delays."
"We will keep that under heavy advisement." Makor promised before Kyle moved to depart the medical wing, hoping against hope that they could save one of the greatest heroes and Jedi to ever grace the galaxy.
If they could not cure his affliction, well, no one here did not even want to consider that possibility, so each of the diverse scholars and healers would have to go at this task with all the energy, knowledge, and drive they possessed. They could do nothing less to save a life in honor of the oaths they all took when they became medical practitioners.
1600 Hours
Korriban, Within the Valley of the Dark Lords
The Edaan-Iteration marveled at the beauty of Korriban, at least as majestic the dark and scarred ancient Sith world and historical goldmine could ever be. Remembering everything his genetic source learnt of the world through ancient records in their Jedi Archives, and hearing from his deceased masters how treacherous the Outer Rim world could be paled in comparison to seeing it firsthand. True, countless dangers permeated the world, but the mystery of such discovery drew countless curious souls in and would undoubtedly draw in many more over the millennia.
Perhaps the Yuuzhan Vong's bioforming could breathe new life into this world and tame the darkness saturating its very core. On the other hand, shaping this world might instead give birth to a wide variety of abominations surpassing the young man's worst imaginings, with the latter idea being a more likely scenario.
Wondering what this world looked like before the Dark Side took hold over the planet, and the Rakatan's devastation after their Infinite Empire failed to conquer the Sith species, the clone asked himself what might have happened to the Sith people if they had taken such a different path in life.
So much betrayal between families, societies, and planets; pointless wars over their arrogance and delusions of godhood shattered when the Rakata and Anzati shattered their isolation; and perpetuating dozens of wars against the Jedi, even if they did nothing to stop the Old Republic's genocidal retribution at the end of the Great Hyperspace War.
He wondered if there would ever be an end to the fighting, to the destruction that gave rise to countless monsters on both sides. Or were the Jedi and Sith truly meant to fight forever, all to keep some demented kind of balance the Force demanded to keep unimaginable horrors like Abeloth away from the quadrillions of innocents out there. It was a question the original Edaan asked a lot rising through the Jedi Order's ranks and under Grand Master Katarn, and it was one the Iteration believed one worth solving.
Tau Koda, a Force Hound that led dozens of conquests for the Rakata, murdering millions of souls, believed balance and coexistence with all beings was possible, so perhaps it was time to take a page from his ancient playbook after he joined the Je'daii Order and married his wife.
Tau. That word, in a culture and people that had been lost to the sands of time, meant "soul", and it was the one word that the warrior had clung to with all his might, and helped draw him out of the Dark and into Balance when Shae Koda reached out to him.
Tau Palpatine. The clone- No! Tau, he reminded himself, thought it had a nice ring to it. It would be a secret to all but himself, and perhaps Chelli and Lona when he judged either woman worthy of his full trust. The youngest Aphra might have a bit of a crazy streak, but she had a stout heart, thirst for knowledge, and restless spirit that rivaled his own.
On the topic of restless spirits, he could sense a powerful presence, one radiating Light Side energy, that existed out beyond the Valley of the Dark Lords, in an area where its tombs were long destroyed as a result from an old Imperial superweapon destroyed by Rebel Alliance saboteurs. But who the agents were, no Sith would say, whether they were in the dark as he was, or keeping it a secret at their master's orders, it was a mystery to Tau. Not even his implanted memories could provide a clue to this problem.
Could this lost soul be a Jedi or Force Adept that was a part of this infiltration team, who's spirit could not find rest after so long? Or was it another presence, one unaccounted for through the endless annals of history? Either way, this disturbance bore investigation at some point, if only to get a little more time to himself.
He made a note to mention this to Lona the moment he could privately speak with her again. Or maybe even Korin, given his encyclopedic knowledge of Jedi and dozens of other Force cultures through his decades of research. One of them might be able to help him unravel this mystery, whether willingly or through duplicity, it hardly mattered to Tau right now.
And to recall one final mystery, he wondered why the young Tuk'ata pup was so keen on following him. The heavily scarred, blue-skinned, and one-foot-long hound that was supposed to guard Korriban's countless treasures from intruders had seemed to take a liking to Tau. To add further surprise, the young hound had blue eyes instead of the natural red, indicating how the beast was devoid of its natural dark allegiance.
It seemed that like his genetic source, he was a natural draw for all sorts of misfits, drawing a smile to Tau's face as he petted the animal's head. Now, all that remained for today's meditation would be to find a name for the Sith war beast, before Tau's overseer, watching over him from a respectable distance, made him return to the citadel. Figuring out how his young friend came to exist would be solved another day.
The longer he remained in that underground fortress, the more he grew to be repulsed by the Sith and their allies. They committed countless crimes against life itself, and many believed themselves to be superior because of power, wealth, knowledge, a person's origins, or countless other characteristics that anyone could attain through hard work and determination. It almost made him want to teach them an unforgettable lesson in humility and honor, even if he did not want to outright join the Jedi.
How could he, when he was born from dark experiments out of Edaan Palpatine's stolen tissues and memories, and the clone had his own questions that he believed the Jedi alone could not answer? They often created the dark enemies they so dreaded through inaction, hubris, or hypocrisy, and Tau wanted nothing to do with that.
Still, it might not hurt to keep a loose association with them when that time comes. If he helped the Sith fall, it would not do well to be without any allies in an ever-changing galaxy.
But to do that, he would have to ingratiate himself within the Dark Side order as carefully and efficiently as he could, all without making the same mistakes, or face the same tragedies and traumas that Ulic Qel-Droma and Quinlan Vos made in their efforts to infiltrate and undermine the Sith organizations of their eras.
"One problem at a time." Tau calmly reminded himself. It would not do him good to carry all the burdens the galaxy held on his shoulders alone, unless he wanted to end up as single-minded and bitter as Edaan became over his drive to save Vestara from her own darkness. For now, he just wanted to sit here a little while longer and contemplate the Force's endless mysteries.
1900 Hours
Dathomir, Deep Within the Talzin Mountains
Within the Ruined Nightsister Village
Four days. That was all that remained until the joint Sith-Nightsister army dispensed with their final stages of planning and preparations and made their first major move to conquer this Force-rich world. Snoke had finished assembling his beast army, and the matriarchal clans had fully assembled under their shared banner with the One Sith. And leading this force would be none other than the strongest Dark Sider alive today: the founder of the One Sith, Darth Krayt himself.
Destroying a network of Jedi strongholds across the planet, all the while eliminating or capturing many of their best members, would require far more than a handful of Sith scouts, a prodigy of an apprentice, and one high ranking Dark Lord working alongside the world's kindred spirits. Sheer numbers, whether they belonged to the Nightsisters or the Sith, would never not be enough to destroy the enemy's entrenched presence here, even a neophyte of Prosset's level and skill set knew that.
They needed people who could go toe to toe with the greatest threats to the Grand Design, and command respect and obedience among the Dread Lord's distinct set of allies. So, who better to do so than the man who was once one of the Old Republic's greatest Jedi champions, along with seven of his best acolytes originally among the Dathomirians accompanying him to ease lingering tensions between the two dark cultures? With the seven Nightsisters-turned-Sith working as intermediaries between the two diverse groups, the coalition would soon be strong enough to overcome even the best of the Jedi's defenders when they launched their onslaught.
Their shared enemies might suspect that the Sith had sent agents to this world to advance their own designs, but they could not possibly know of the full extent of this infiltration and the buildup aimed against them. Secrecy and misdirection were the Sith's best weapon right now, and as much as brutes like Alora wanted to attack the Jedi in an outright battle, Sorzus had effectively disciplined the brutish Sith by challenging her to a duel. Thankfully for all, the teenaged Sith Apprentice outclassed and outmaneuvered her elder in every conceivable way.
Through a combination of superior agility, a sharp and cunning intellect, and a brilliant command of the Force that outshined most of Krayt's long-serving followers, Sorzus was able to beat the full-fledged Sith Lady to within an inch of her life, while breaking plenty of her bones through well-timed jabs, strikes, and a couple of hard stomps before the older woman had bitterly acknowledged her defeat.
It was a lesson that Alora had reluctantly accepted and most certainly would never forget, especially after Krayt took the woman's lightsaber away as punishment for insubordination and ordered her to fight with a set of the Witches' equipment once her serious wounds were tended to. Utilizing an energy bow, a Force-imbued sword, and customized and expanded Dathomirian armor was a total humiliation for the Dowutin and served as an example to the rest of the alliance and anyone threatening to disrupt its fragile unity.
Even as the Sith made their final preparations for their multi-pronged attack, the Miraluka and disgraced Force Adept among them marveled at the shared purpose these groups shared in trying to establish a lasting order to the galaxy. The Nightsisters and Sith were sharing their equipment and all manner of knowledge with each other, filling Prosset with a great hope that this newfound unity would not fall apart after a new Sith Empire arose from the ashes of the Jedi-led governments. It had led to the dismantling of just about every Sith-ruled power throughout all of history, but hopefully this one would finally learn from the failures of those who came before Krayt's order.
After everything every civilization had endured over the last century, all the wars and death that flooded every corner of the galaxy, it left countless scars everywhere that eventually culminated in the return of Abeloth, the greatest evil to ever threaten the galaxy. Once the ancient abomination had devastated Coruscant and completed the Jedi's disgrace in the eyes of trillions, it had completed Prosset's creeping disillusionment with the Light Side and thrusted him into Krayt's plans for a lasting order for all.
While he might take issue with several of Krayt's tougher choices, or unsavory proxies in slavers and barbaric raiders, he agreed with the Dread Lord's goal of a firm hand guiding the galaxy into a truly unified force. The only chance the galaxy had of facing the next crisis was by working as one body. But thanks to feeling the deaths of billions of lost souls over the last four decades, trying to unite the countless worlds through diplomacy and compassion had failed utterly. Now it was time to try a stronger niche of tactics and strategies, ones only the Sith had the courage to use.
All that remained now was if this attack would provide Krayt the results and prize he desperately sought. He may not fully understand why he coveted Edaan Palpatine so desperately, but even a neophyte like him could comprehend how a powerful and charismatic Jedi like the heir of Sidious could present a great boon to whichever side he allied with. If he would not join the Sith, then he would be eliminated like the menace he was to the Grand Design. It honestly was that simple, no matter what anyone, even the Dread Lord himself, wanted to believe.
2100 Hours
Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Even as Tionne observed the state of the Jedi Archives, with its self-functioning cleaning droids keeping the library in pristine condition after Abeloth and the Lost Tribe's occupation of the Jedi sanctum, a heavy pall came over her soul.
Seeing this empty hall, once considered the culmination of decades of research and recovery of countless pieces of Jedi history once being filled with vibrant minds of all ages, races, and ranks, breaking her heart.
Being barely lit from its vacancy and sitting underneath a Sith Shrine that helped cloud the Jedi's foresight for over five millennia, the Temple had been left a hollow shell of its former glory, and it deserved to be full of life again.
Hopefully, the diverse array of allies the Jedi Council assembled for the daunting task of uncovering the hidden Sith nexus would be the first step in expunging their enemies' influence from the capital world. With the handpicked Jedi-sympathetic agents of the Galactic Alliance's Historical Council, the Blackguard, Jensaarai, and miscellaneous Sith scholars reinforcing the eight Jedi on this mission, it should be all but impossible for them to fail their mission.
All that remained now was the delivery of the final member of their makeshift army from one of the GA's maximum-security prisons, and then they could begin their task. According to Chief of State Yimmon, getting the approval for the paroled release of disgraced Sith sympathizer and power broker Ingo Wavlud was proving to be a greater challenge than first anticipated.
How fortunate then, that his surviving staff were pooling many of their old favors and contacts to persuade the prison wardens to release Wavlud into the Jedi's custody. The Byss native would be on Coruscant and in Tionne's custody by the end of the week and hopefully prove to be worth this chance.
Until then, there should not be any harm in doing a few preliminary investigations into the Temple's network of underground tunnels and the old nest Tesar Sebatyne and his fellow Barabel Jedi built for their offspring before the Order disgracefully withdrew from Coruscant. There was no sense in not taking a healthy dose of initiative with their efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order's center of operations in the Core Worlds while the galaxy threatened to rip itself apart.
2200 Hours
Falleen, Lajinda
Within the Infirmary Camp
"Still no response?" Allana noted to Ben and Mirta at seeing the limp form of Vestara, hooked up to two IV units and removed of her combat armor and heavy clothing to avoid any medical impediments. "Bardan's healing isn't doing the trick?"
"It's too soon to tell, but Phobar's attack did more damage to her mind than we first realized." Ben despondently sighed. "There's no telling when she'll wake up, or whatever battle she's facing inside her soul."
"Give her more time. She's stronger than anyone thinks." Mirta reminded Allana, causing the Hapan heiress to raise a skeptical eyebrow at the Mandalorian. The longstanding animosity between the two families notwithstanding, everyone involved had come to an unspoken agreement to avoid antagonizing each other and set a good example for the rest of the Alliance of Light. Whether or not the rest of their families could uphold the pact was yet to be determined, but hopes were higher than they anticipated.
"Are you telling me that for mine and Ben's sakes, Mirta, or yours?" The Jedi Knight knowingly asked.
"We all know the answer to that." Ben deflected. Shifting topics, he tried to stay optimistic, "At least we've finally got the war for Falleen under control. Won't be long now before we finish off the Sith and their people here and can hunt the rest of them down."
"What about Haxim? We can't just leave him to his own devices if he tries to renege on his agreements with abolishing the monarchy or joining the Galactic Alliance. After he disobeyed orders and made that unauthorized broadcast of his family and the Sith, can we afford to trust him with that kind of power, especially when he has the people's backing?" Mirta pointed out.
"Do we have a choice? None of us can't leave this planet in perpetual chaos for eternity. Endless war benefits no one. And we're not leaving him alone. We're going to have half a dozen Jedi and a whole garrison stationed here for the war's duration. They'll keep the interim governor honest until actual elections can be held." Allana sagely interjected.
"You almost sound like a real queen there." Ben teased, earning a genuine chuckle out of the Mandalorian.
"Don't you two have reports to go over and debriefings to attend? Neither of you can stay here all day." Allana tartly reminded before promising the both of them, "I'll watch over her for a little while, and let the both of you know if her condition changes."
Seeing the kind but firm glean in Allana's eyes, Mirta knew she had something important to say, and wanted complete privacy for whatever she needed to do. Respecting that wish, Mirta nodded to the Jedi heir and led the way for a reluctant Ben to follow her.
The moment the doors shut behind her, Allana sat down on the chair before Vestara, and tried to gather her thoughts.
Eventually deciding to go with her gut, Allana began, "I don't know if you can hear me, Vestara, but I wanted to tell you this while there's still time.
"You took a lot from me. My best friend, my anonymity, turned me into a killer, and hurt my family, especially Ben, in ways that haven't fully healed after all these years. I honestly don't know if I can ever fully forgive you for all you put me through.
"But one of my closest friends, Edaan, believed in you to the end, and risked everything to save your soul. He even managed to help me forgive my father a few years ago for all his sins, and that wasn't an easy job.
"But I guess what I'm trying to say is this; I can tell you genuinely want to change, that you want to atone for your dark past, and more than anything, want to be with Ben again. And those simple desires can be enough to save you from the darkness trying to take back your heart and soul.
"If you ever need a helping hand, or anyone to talk to about your troubles aside from Ben, then know that I'll be there for you.
Gently placing a hand on Vestara's, Allana gave a tight squeeze before kindly finished, "I hope you get better soon. With the state Uncle Luke's in, Ben's going to need your help coping with this mad war, and I can feel in my gut that we'll all need your help soon. Good luck, and may the Force be with you, Vestara Khai."
Having said her piece, Allana departed Vestara's room, and was not able to see the single tear stream down Vestara's cheek, a single crack in the wall that kept her mind trapped within, not realizing the effect her words would soon have on the onetime Sith criminal.
Within Vestara Khai's Subconsciousness
She did not know how long she had been tormented by the hallucinations; time felt like it was moving at least a thousandth of its original speed. But the memories Vestara was experiencing, every atrocity she carried out to advance the One Sith's Grand Design and give her the dark power she once longed for, was trying to eat away at every piece of her soul.
From her work with the Freedom's Riches across dozens of Inner Rim worlds, to helping the Neo Death Watch assassinate resistant governors through the Mid and Outer Rim, and kidnapping hundreds of children for the Sith's training program across every sector, her time as Darth Kitai had wrought nothing but pain and misery across the galaxy. It was enough to make her weep for her delusions that she could change her ways and be a Jedi.
But somehow, something, some unseen power, had kept her from breaking and giving into her despair. Vestara sometimes thought she felt the desperate and loving brush of Ben trying to reach her. Doubts gnawing away at her, she resisted the attempt, not knowing if this was truly her first and only love or the phantoms of her lost family, teacher, or best friend.
But this new presence, one that she did not recognize, allowed her to hear everything Allana had just said to her corporeal form. And the undeserving compassion and empathy Allana gave her, after all she had lost and suffered at Vestara's hands, was enough to give her a nugget of hope, one that emboldened her resolve to break this mental prison and atone for what all she had done.
"If you truly hope to atone for all your sins, Vestara Khai, then you need to realize that the cage you've created is one of your own design from your own guilt and self-pity. And take it from a woman who was once on both sides of the Force, you will need to draw upon all your hope and strength to survive what comes next in this endless war." An elderly woman's voice sternly interrupted Vestara's vow, before a physical figure materialized before her, one with silver hair tied to her sides with pieces of jewelry keeping her hair in place, and a hood covering her eyes.
'Great, another hallucination.' Vestara lamented, before she remembered this woman from the memories Edaan implanted in her when she fled Kesh. This was one of his masters from the Netherworld of the Force, a Jedi-turned-Sith-turned-Force hater simply known as Kreia, mentor to Revan and Meetra Surik, onetime leader of the Sith Triumvirate, and a woman who tried to eradicate the Force from the galaxy before being slain by Meetra on the ruins of Malachor V.
"I see your memory is as sharp as I was told, Lady Khai." The specter approvingly nodded at the living woman's jolt of recognition. "Now you need to let go of the guilt you carry, and remake yourself into something different if you want to return to land of the living. You do have friends and that boyfriend of yours waiting for you, as I recall."
"How do you suggest I do that when I've been assaulted by every kind of enemy I can imagine?" Vestara pointedly asked.
Quietly gazing upon Vestara, Kreia simply ordered her, "Walk with me if you wish. It will help clear your head and give you the clarity you seek, if you know how to truly listen."
Seeing no other options and knowing this would be better than enduring the torture of her past ghosts, Vestara followed Kreia into the grey veil that followed, unaware of what mysteries or terrors lay before her.
0000 Hours, Kelona 2nd, 59 ABY
Deep Within the Unknown Regions
Inside the Remnicore System
On the Planet Exegol
Deep Within the Dark Citadel
Tor Valum, Force Sage, and the oldest surviving servant left alive among the Celestials ancient slave races, wished he could see the shock and fear on the Jedi's faces when they realized how a supposedly unseen force was helping them in purging the Sith's darkness from their precious Observatory. How ironic that a fallen servant of the Balance was using his ancient wisdom in the Light Side to rid the shrine of its pathetic miasma of darkness and fill the Jedi with dread on another group of enemies emerging.
If only he could reach out and gloat to all of creation on how he and his acolytes were the ones to have set the stage for the temple's fall and ensure the end of the One Sith's hold over Falleen. Realizing that they owed their impending victory to a servant of the Bringer of Chaos would fill the Grysk with such dark glee to last the final century before he and his handful of survivors of his race made their grand return to the galaxy. And he especially hoped the Chiss would be the first to fall after the humiliations they inflicted on his people.
To his disappointment, this level of prolonged warfare was not what his mistress wanted or needed. At the current rate, the level of darkness and fear permeating the galaxy would not be enough to fully revive Abeloth. As a result, he would let the Alliance of Light delude themselves into believing how their Jedi elders were the ones to aid them in this instance and let the two enemy factions escalate their endless war to devour more of the galaxy until it reached its glorious crescendo.
All of this would certainly give them a little more confusion and fear, allowing them to continue fueling his mistress's rebirth. And when the war reached its ultimate crescendo in the Unknown Regions, it would finish the rebirth of the ultimate incarnation of darkness.
Once his mistress's plan, conveyed to him from her prison of Beyond Shadows, came to full fruition, just as it had been progressing since her last defeat, then all that was left was to wait until the Sith and Jedi completed their devastation of the galaxy, and her new vessel was ready for her to inhabit.
To Tor's growing consternation, however, that chosen body had yet to be determined through clairvoyance, as the Force was in a constant flux over that inevitable facet. Throughout his meditations, he saw countless different possibilities in his mistress's new home, whether it was one of the Skywalkers, Darth Krayt, Edaan Palpatine, Kyp Durron, Vestara Khai, or dozens of other powerful Force Users from many diverse orders and species that could serve as the prime vessel of Abeloth's limitless power.
Why he was fretting over this minor wrinkle was a mystery, but he needed to banish all such worries from his mind. There were other fronts to observe and manipulate, and he and his fellow ancients would not do so with an occupied mind. This minor puzzle could be solved much later once everything fell into place.
Well, I think this is a good place to end the largest chapter I've written! Of course, it helped that I wrote over half of this in advance for the interlude chapter before deciding that I'd combine the next two chapters into one. I hope you all enjoy, as it was a great labor of love and determination to write this piece. So, how are you all doing on this warm day of Sunday, April 10, 2022? I'm doing well, as I went to church a few hours ago, mowed the grass later, and now I'm going to read a little of Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way. I hope to get it done, and publish this chapter, before I go to St. Louis in 6 days to visit family for a week. Well, I guess I'd better get off, as I need to get a bit done today. I hope you all have a blessed day, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
But first, there's something I have to say, and I know it may not please many of you, but I just can't stay silent any longer, not unless I go mad or do something truly dumb. If you don't want to read what I'm saying, then skip this author's note below and go right about your business and lives. I won't mind if you feel obliged to do so, as I don't want to hurt anyone, but I still have the right to free speech.
(I am completely SICK and TERRIFIED of the sheer insanity plaguing the world and my country and want it all to stop and for God to come back, if not through the End Times, then into people's hearts. From the wars devouring many portions of the world, to political idiocy and incompetent leadership by dealing with actual dictators instead of using our own resources and enabling crime and toxic ideologies, it's just driving me insane with grief and anger. So, I feel I must responsibly speak out, as I know the last Presidential administration was riddled with problems of all kinds, but I know in my heart that it was still infinitely better than what we have right now. And don't even get me started on the madness of companies and corporations such as Disney with their policies geared towards young viewers in the name of indoctrination. Don't take this personally, as I'm not attacking you, the readers and fellow fanfiction lovers, but attacking the driving force and ideology behind many of these decisions that are chipping away at the moral health of the United States of America and other countries that are supposed to be shining cities on a hill, just as other great Presidents and other leaders have proclaimed their nations to be. I pray that we can elect true representatives of the people and the values that make up the Constitution and other countries' leadership, but I cannot help but fear for the worst. I guess that it's all in God's hands now.)
