Good afternoon, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm but cloudy day of Saturday, May 7, 2022? I'm doing okay, if a bit tired from my troubles sleeping lately, and worried about work over the next few weeks and couple months. I'm going to be a busy bee, especially considering how I might find full-time employment soon if I can find the right opportunity. So, I'm sorry I kept you all waiting for the next chapter, I needed a bit of a break to rest my weary mind, and to try and assemble my thoughts, given how we're just about to reach the endgame of my story. I still have a lot to figure out, but I won't do that by lounging around. Well, with all the small talk out of the way, I'd best get started on the next chapter of my story. I hope you all have a blessed day, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
0005 Kelona 3rd, 59 ABY
Dathomir, Jedi Praxeum
Within Edaan Palpatine's Subconsciousness
As Edaan felt his mind being flung into whatever mindscape the Taron projection conjured up, he felt an odd sense of foreboding course throughout his being. It was almost as if he was experiencing a vision, but it was not quite the same. Could the Celestials be using this training exercise to test Edaan and see if he was ready for whatever was coming next, or was it all simply a hallucination induced by the Taron-manifestation? If only he was given a clue to this trial, but that would be too easy.
Whatever the sensation was, it soon ended as he found himself barely able to land on his own two feet to come across a site that sent shivers of fear throughout his soul as a presence, whether it was the Taron-apparition or Jacen's phantom, fed Edaan the necessary information to make sense of this decaying landscape.
The planet he was standing on was none other than Zonama Sekot, a legendary world he had only read about in holobooks and heard from veterans of the Yuuzhan Vong War. That world, a seedling of the Yuuzhan Vong's primordial homeworld, able to actually travel through hyperspace and contained a living consciousness of its own, proved key in peacefully ending the four-year conflict, and it was burning and falling into the Dark Side's clutches before his very eyes.
Unholy growths were sprouting out resembling a twisted version of Vongforming across the landscape, devouring everything in sight and increasing the dark tumor that was consuming the sentient world. Strewn about the destroyed huts of a village were thousands, likely even tens of thousands of corpses, most of them Yuuzhan Vong settlers protecting their homes and families, but a large number belonging to forces of the Alliance of Light, primarily Galactic Alliance, Jedi, and Chiss, that had defended this once pristine world from the Sith invaders.
The enemy force was full of bodies belonging to rogue Mandalorians and Imperials, many raiders that, judging from the diverse range of species belonging to many of the attackers, had to be denizens of the Unknown Regions, and dozens of Sith of various species from across the known galaxy.
Sensing the desecration of such a sacred world, one where technology and organic life coexisted in harmony and served to help the Yuuzhan Vong rebuild their society and culture while protecting itself from any incursions or exploitation, where countless beings were dying to protect it, ignited an uncontrollable rage in Edaan.
'If this is a warning of the future, we need to do whatever it karking takes to stop it from coming true.' Edaan snarled, instinctively knowing such devastation and anarchy would only serve Abeloth and further fuel her rebirth.
Interrupting his reflections and vows, he heard a dying shriek that made his blood freeze. It was a scream he knew all too well, one that belonged to the woman who claimed his heart and calmed his raging spirit.
'Adari.' Edaan hurried towards the direction of the scream, slowing down to see the carnage unfolding in the skies above. Hundreds of capital ships were fighting against the One Sith's armada, with dozens of giant wrecks littering the landscape.
Among the ruined landscape was a Ronto-class Assault Pinnace that he recognized all too well as the Rude Awakening. Hurrying to the ship, he saw the remains of two Mandalorians amidst the debris and recognized the insignias of the Kiffar Clan Vos on each of their shoulder pauldrons.
'Lona. Shara.' Edaan hurtfully mourned before he heard another scream, this one belonging to Robonino and he estimated being at least half a kilometer to the east. Giving his friends one final glance of bitter acknowledgement and farewell, he turned away to hurry to his friend in the Patrolian mercenary and hoped that he would not be too late to save him, Adari, or any more of his loved ones from a ghastly fate in this Force-induced nightmare.
0040 Hours
Batuu, Black Spire Ruins
Sith Command Center
Silently praising whatever gods existed for giving Turman a master actor's professionalism and thanking his fellow Wraiths teaching him to control his emotions and shield his mind from Force probes, the disguised Clawdite knelt before the Sith Acolyte before one of his associates cautioned the Falleen, "You realize, Lady Liara, that this goes against all of Lady Dician's orders. When she finds out and gets us all back here, she will likely have each of our heads for this act of disobedience."
"If we succeed in this objective, she and Lord Krayt will do no such thing. Instead, they will reward us for such initiative and protecting our own." Another captain adamantly argued. "We might be cold hearted bastards to most, but we're not going to just leave our followers to face a fiery doom without trying to save them."
"Enough." Liara curtly ordered her subordinates. Chosen for their loyalty and incorruptibility, the ten officers rose before the Sith acolyte continued, "Save your quarreling for when we escape this doomed world. We need to focus on completing our objective before our evacuation is complete.
"Alert your commands and have them evacuate all personnel before activating the Final Protocol in each of your sectors."
"My Lady…" Turman hesitated, knowing the titanic gambit he was taking with risking his cover, but he could not allow the innocent to die if he could help it. "What of our captives and indentured workers? Will we not try to rescue those that we can? They are a vital investment and resource for the One Sith, and if we abandon them now, it will only set the galaxy against us even further. Never mind how it will be even more difficult to acquire more slaves going forward for your order's many future projects."
Curiously eyeing the man impersonating Lear Ariol, Turman wondered if he overplayed his hand. To his relief, Liara did not press the issue, but instead answered, "We will not be taking the workers with us, Captain Ariol. We do not have the ships to carry all ten thousand of them, considering the prizes our master covets. In the meantime, rescuing the slaves will be a task best suited to the Jedi's coalition while diverting critical ships that could otherwise pursue us back to the RV point.
"Besides, the One Sith will not need such barbaric methods such as slavery to attain key labor in building our coming empire going forward. We will all need to find more creative means to attain our goals without sacrificing the purpose of the Grand Design. That is one of the few things Madame Xizor had right in her approach before she sold all of you out for her weakness."
Eyes betraying a hint of regret at her doomed friend before hardening her face and heart again, Liara calmly ordered her subordinates, "We've wasted enough time on petty distractions and pointless inquiries. Get your people in the air immediately, and I will ensure word properly gets out to the Jedi's ridiculously named Alliance of Light about their latest crisis. We don't want them to sacrifice their precious honor and principles when they could instead be working to hunt us down."
'Then you'd best prepare yourself for an unconventional strategy from my friends, you Sith hypocrite and complete schutta.' Turman vindictively seethed, knowing the Alliance would be ready to make this escape hard and costly for their mortal enemies. And while he was still undercover, he wondered if he could learn more of what Liara meant by more creative means of acquiring a strong and numerous workforce outside of the old-fashioned method of slavery that marked every other Sith faction.
If the One Sith were so willing to disregard such a morally repugnant time-honored tradition, then they almost undoubtedly had an even darker and innovative method in store for gaining new labor, and Turman had to find out what it might be, before that opportunity slipped away into the dark void of space.
"Captain Ariol. I'd like for you to join me and my crew aboard the Striker." Liara recommended, her voice almost too pleasant to ignore, making Turman worry that the Falleen was using her pheromones to make him more malleable to her orders. "Given your experience with the GA and Confederation, I have a feeling you'll give me plenty of insight on how to best deal with the enemy."
'Oh, I have a bad feeling about this.' Turman morosely thought as he brusquely nodded and went to join the Sith Acolyte aboard her heavy cruiser. Suddenly, he felt his chances of surviving this mad infiltration now becoming exponentially slimmer.
0110 Hours
Batuu, Morandi Forests
Aboard the Razor Crest
"We need to recall our people and get our ships in the air and on the offensive now." Din ardently warned the holograms of the Alliance leadership. "The Sith are prepared to scorch this planet right to its crust, and we're about to be caught right in Dician's clutches."
Turning to Voort, he grimly added, "And your Wraith is being held hostage alongside Xizor by one of Dician's top followers."
"You've intercepted new information from their command center?" Voort warily guessed.
"No. That Sith acolyte sent me a recorded message ten minutes ago and told me to deliver us all an ultimatum: Either we focus on saving the planet's civilians and let her mistress escape with her cargo, and Turman and Xizor will be released to us, or we proceed with our attack and sacrifice the planet and our teammate." Din answered while sending each leader a copy of the message to see with their own eyes, along with holoimages of Xasha and Turman ensnared in chains and sporting many burns.
"To all Batuu commanders in the Alliance of Light," A woman's smug and authoritative voice quickly exited the audio filters.
"You do not need to know my identity, but I believe you know the two of your friends in the images I've been kind enough to provide all of you. Thanks to their recklessness and audacity, they are in quite a dire predicament, along with the rest of this planet that Dician would sooner see brought to ruin than captured by you and the Jedi.
"Fortunately for you, I can see the value in returning them to you and ensuring this world's survival, as long as you follow a few simple directions.
"If you refrain from attacking my people's ships throughout the next eighteen hours and allow us safe passage off Batuu, I will ensure that this world, its populace, and my two captives, do not meet their undue end at my more fanatical peers or followers' hands. I will even ensure that the slaves we have accumulated are released into your care.
"If you do not comply, then I cannot be held responsible for the holocaust that will follow for the poor souls and their rather beautiful world. You have two hours to transmit your acquiescence. I hope you make the correct choice, for all our sakes."
After a few moments, Din knowingly and ardently summed up, "We're not going to let the Sith dictate terms to us, but we can't sacrifice this world and its people just to deny the enemy a key asset."
"How many bombs have we deactivated so far?" Azzzim anxiously inquired.
"At this time, only twelve out of fifty." Shada gravely admitted. "They're tricky pieces of hardware and we've been trying to keep this operation quiet. But since we're now out of time, we need a plan, and we need a kriffing good one right away, or all is lost."
"Then we turn the tables on this paltry blackmail attempt and go on the offensive before they can detonate their remaining bombs." Tiana irritably pointed out as if it was the only choice available.
"You've got a brilliant idea, right?" Azzim knowingly guessed.
"If we can't destroy the Sith from the outside, then maybe we can convince their followers and conscripts to do a bit of our work for them from within their own ranks." The Antarian Rangers commander continued. "All we need to do is plant a few whispers in the right ears and let the ensuing pandemonium do the rest."
Realizing where Tiana was suggesting, Din reminded them, "Then how fortunate we have the keys to all of Madame Xizor and Frejor's comm frequencies and can transmit the acolyte's recording throughout the entire enemy force."
Hesitating, he reminded Voort, "But we'll likely be sacrificing your friend in the process."
"If we time this assault right, then the Sith will have more important and immediate things to worry about than executing a single prisoner and allow us to hunt down their fool of a commander and save our fool." The Gamorrean patiently reminded him. "But enough worrying and mindless chatter. We have a final last-ditch strategy to implement, and less than a day to save this planet."
0130 Hours
Dathomir, Jedi Praxeum
Within Edaan Palpatine's Subconsciousness
Inside the Zonoma Sekot Mindscape
Dead. Countless dead or dying were all around him as Edaan finished dealing with the last of the phantom-Sith assailants, heaving from the effort it took to defeat at least thirty marauders in nearly ninety minutes. But around almost every corner he turned, he saw a precious friend passed away, right at his feet, each of them carrying a look that conveyed betrayal and heartbreak towards their sole living comrade.
Robonino, Atai Molec, Jarael Chantique, Vua Gorsatt, Akku Seii II, K'Kruhk, all of them were dead, one after another in unspeakable ways. Some were devoured by the dark Vongforming and made into unholy growths, but others were covered in at least a dozen lightsaber burns or had their flesh ripped off half their bodies from unseen menaces.
Not even Artoo, the plucky astromech droid he once was, had been spared from the carnage unfolding before him as the world continued to mutate into the Dark Side's boundless grasp, his mechanical body torn into hundreds of nearly unrecognizable pieces.
Only Adari had yet to meet a grisly end. But along with his teammates, countless Jedi that were precious to Edaan, including Kyle, Jaden, Luke, most of the Council, and most of his few surviving friends, had fallen in battle defending this once luscious world from evil.
'What will you do, young Palpatine, if you cannot save anyone you deem worth your paltry affections?' A familiar bellowing voice commanded Edaan's attention, catching his heart in his throat at the utter fear rising within his spirit. 'Will you give into despair, or fight to your last bitter and dying breath against the inevitability of all things?'
He knew that voice all too well, even if his memories of his spectral encounter with the Dread Lord of the One Sith were still hazier than he would have wanted.
But as he turned to see Darth Krayt, his heart broke at seeing Vestara and Ben being cut down the moment he made eye contact with each of them. What made his heart break even further was seeing a falling Vestara's slightly swollen belly, knowing what it meant for the two lovers and their prospects together.
Nearly flying into a bloodied frenzy here and there, Edaan held himself back, ignited his lightsaber, and bellowed to Krayt, "Do you realize what you've just done?! WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE?!"
"Because you and I have unfinished business, Jedi Palpatine. You still have to join the right side and help me stem the rise of the Bringer of Chaos." Krayt knowingly answered. "Unless, of course, you don't want to save your precious wife from mine or Abeloth's followers."
"Leave Adari out of this! It's me you want!" Edaan desperately screeched.
"It's too late for that demand." Krayt vindictively smirked. "You got her involved in this war, and now it's time to reap the consequences of your reckless love and idealism."
Conjuring up a phantasm replica of Adari, he gripped her throat with a telekinetic grip while gloating, "This is the price you must pay for opening your heart up for another. The family and belonging you seek to build will never be yours, and all that such efforts will give you are despair and betrayal."
Seeing Adari's swollen belly, Edaan knew what it meant, and he was prepared to blast Krayt out of this dream if it meant protecting the future the specter held.
"Take it from someone who knows, love is a weakness and will only leave you full of bitterness and regret. You'd be better off without such chains holding you back." Krayt casually spoke before clenching his hand, snapping Adari's neck in an instant, and breaking Edaan's heart into countless unrecognizable slivers when the lifeless body was dropped, and the three life signs inside were brutally extinguished.
That was it, the final straw Edaan would endure from anyone and the only offense he could never forgive. Krayt had crossed the unforgivable line this time. No one threatened the woman who made Edaan whole and got away with it. This Sith Lord had to pay, and he needed to pay for such malice with his life.
Paying no heed to the consequences or giving no thought to the metaphysical corpses plastered before him, Edaan furiously charged at the Dread Lord with such Force-enhanced strength it would have blown through several trees upon impact.
Now, the ultimate Trial of the Spirit could begin in earnest, and Edaan's character could truly be tested.
0200 Hours
Falleen, Lajinda
Aboard the Jade's Legacy
Utterly spent after fully exhausting himself in his lover for an untold time, Ben let out a final gasp of ecstatic joy before collapsing on the bed, only moving off Vestara after gently pushing him off her equally exhausted form, both heaving from their loving ministrations. It seemed as if years of denial and separation had done nothing to diminish the love between Ben and Vestara, only increasing it until it was all released throughout the night in carnal pleasure that allowed the two to fully cement their loving bond.
After five long hours that seemed to drag on to allow the couple all the time they wanted for their first tryst, the lovers were just about ready to let sleep finally claim them before they prepared themselves for each of their respective duties of the morning.
Honestly, it seemed partly wrong to take this time for themselves when there was a war raging, and Vestara still had to be held accountable for her role in many of the One Sith's schemes, many might accuse them of being selfish and giving into their darker passions.
And there were undoubtedly many others who still believed Vestara was a deep cover Sith agent and would betray them again when the time was right. But the lovers knew that life was too short to leave anything to chance, and they could honestly say that they needed this joyous release after years of denying their feelings for each other.
Interrupting Ben's joyous mood, Vestara off-handedly wondered, "I know it's too late to ask this, but do you think the rest of your family will approve of us, after all I did to them?"
Feeling his chest vibrate from the silent laugh, Vestara turned her head to see his rueful smile while he absentmindedly rubbed a hand over her back to soothe her fears, "They'll probably blow a circuit or ten when they find out what we just did if they haven't figured it out or sensed it already. But honestly, it doesn't matter what they think. If they disapprove of us that much, then they'll just have to deal with it.
"Like I told you, I'm not leaving you this time. That means we're gonna figure this…us, out together. I love you too much to let this chance at happiness go to waste." Ben kissed her before suggesting,
"Come on, let's try and get some rest. We've only got about five hours before duty calls, and you've got some children to evaluate before the final push can begin."
"Do you really think I'll be able to help the Alliance free this world in combat?" Vestara rhetorically asked. "I have so many interrogations and cross-examinations of evidence to undergo, and I doubt they'd want me to risk another betrayal on the battlefield. Besides, I doubt even your good word and my work in the Observatory would be enough to convince everyone to let me off this leash."
Gripping Ben's hand in their shared embrace, Vestara yawned before promising, "Let's talk about this later. Right now, we really need a bit of rest."
With everything important spoken, the two Light Siders quickly fell asleep in each other's arms, relishing their renewed bond and promising to protect each other, no matter what or who came to stand against them. But somewhere in Vestara's mind, she unconsciously rubbed her thin abdomen, realizing the gravity of what they just did. If her newly planted fears came true, then the couple would soon be in big trouble from all sides and would need to rely on each other to protect their future family.
Whether or not she would soon be with child, the two lovers would have to tread far more carefully from here on out, at least to avoid drawing undue attention on them from their enemies outside and inside the Alliance of Light.
0245 Hours
Dathomir, Jedi Praxeum
Within Edaan Palpatine's Subconsciousness
Inside the Zonama Sekot Mindscape
"You have untapped power, Palpatine, more than enough to surpass your ancestor if you put your mind to it. But you lack the heart to effectively wield such incredible might." Krayt scathingly gloated while pressing his advantage over the winded and battered Edaan, deflecting each of his blows, no matter how swift and precise they were, and leaving many small lightsaber cuts across his body.
Tapping into his untold years of experience and drawing on the expanding miasma of darkness embedded in the mindscape, Krayt quickly took control of this duel, and was merely toying with Edaan at this point. "Why persist in this futile defiance when all you have left is a wife and children that are about to meet the same fate as your friends?"
For a heartbeat, Edaan's heart stopped from the unspoken threat at his family while also wondering what this vision was trying to tell him, and from a bright joy at the possibility of Adari being able to give them a family of their own. Everything that had transpired, all the trauma and madness that had occurred, Edaan knew in his bones that this was all far more than a simulation. He needed to learn all he could of this dark possibility to see if it could still be prevented, or at least mitigate its damage on the galaxy.
But also, his mind realized what Krayt let slip out, and wondered whether it was a bluff or a calculated gamble to further unbalance the Jedi Knight. Tragically, that one moment of weakness was all that Krayt needed to cleave off most of Edaan's right arm with a quick lightsaber chop, leaving the young man to let out a bloodcurdling scream as he clutched his meager stump of a limb just below the shoulder, dropping his lightsaber in the process.
"Your emotions are as uncontrollable as an inferno, and if you do not learn to fully master the turmoil and limitless potential of your heart and spirit, then beings far worse than me shall take advantage of you and all that you seek to protect." Krayt instructionally spoke.
"You think that you can protect your loved ones from any threat, any danger, and that you can serve as an anchor for the galaxy. A noble sentiment. But what happens if that example is twisted or is destroyed by the sands of time and weak and malleable minds?
"What can you do to ensure your family name is redeemed and your legacy is rendered inert? Will you accept the example of Qui-Gon Jinn and trust in the Force and your loved ones, or will you drive yourself so hard you are warped into the very evil you are fighting so hard against, like Darth Caedus?
"The choice is yours, Edaan Palpatine. But know this: your ultimate moment of decision draws near, and your actions could very well affect the entire galaxy in ways that can rival or even surpass the Skywalkers." Krayt warned Edaan as his spectral form faded, leaving the Jedi Knight to contemplate the meaning behind his words while grieving his losses.
0300 Hours
Within the Kharmort's Miasma Nebula
On Vagar Praxut, Eskarrh
Within the Vagaari Enclave
Listening to the Grand Sorcerer while reading through the report from his Agbui contacts, the Miskara nearly had a heart attack when he heard what the onetime Chiss Jedi said about Thrawn's latest heir.
A clone of that accursed Chiss exile and founder of the Empire of the Hand. That was the being that was leading the Alliance-Chiss coalition against the Vagaari and Sith, and if Kung'urama'nuruodo's clairvoyance was accurate, then he was luring his enemies into a trap while dangling the Lesser Space allies out there as bait for their overzealous raiders with their absurd show of force.
Were he sent back twenty years in time, ten even, he would have ordered the attack regardless of the planned ambush and work to liberate his people from their disgraceful occupation. But now, thanks to the humbling lessons of defeat from his many clients at the Chiss's hands, the Miskara was a far more pragmatic leader than his predecessors, so he would not lure his allies into certain doom while compromising his protection.
Instead, all that was needed was to follow the Rhandite's strategy and allow their shared enemies to tear themselves apart from the inside out. Lord Krayt would undoubtedly be pleased with this cunning and patience among two of his most reliable followers. He might even give him an advance on the promised bounty when the Chiss were broken.
And speaking of Krayt and their shared mission, he needed to reach out to his deep-space scouts and see how their mission was progressing. After nearly two decades of searching for the lost world, the hunt for the Dread Lord's ultimate prize was still eluding the One Sith's best hunters, and that was completely unacceptable.
It was time to expand the search and call upon the Sith's pawns in the Chiss Ascendancy to try and best figure out where a world that could travel through hyperspace was hiding. Results were needed quickly, and that meant taking drastic measures ahead of schedule, no matter the risks that entailed such actions.
The Miskara might not know what Krayt could possibly want with that Vong-infested world, but since he promised him and his people vengeance against the Chiss if they succeeded in this endeavor, plus half an entire star cluster's ransom of wealth, then the reborn Vagaari Empire could not afford to fail.
0400 Hours
Dathomir, Jedi Praxeum
Within Edaan Palpatine's Subconsciousness
"What's the point of all this?" Edaan painfully screamed to the heavens, clutching his stump of an arm while unable to turn away from the heartbreaking sight of his love and their unborn children- whether the two were boys or girls, it did not matter to the potential father- plastered before him. "Are you trying to show me that I'm powerless to save my precious family and friends, that all that awaits any of us is death and being swept away by the ashes of time, and that the chaos Abeloth represents is destined to reign supreme on all of life for eternity?"
Hearing no answer, not that Edaan ever expected any, tearing himself away from the horrific site of his family to focus on wherever the Taron-apparition was, brokenly pressed on, "Well, maybe you're right in a way. There will always be threats and evil for the Light to battle, and champions will rise to meet the challenge. And I can't fix everything I find or reach every soul I meet.
"But if I cannot do everything, then I can at least set an example for others to follow, and work to save those that I can and inspire them to do the same for more, creating a cycle of hope and redemption for the galaxy to counter this vicious cycle of hatred."
"So, I cannot -no! I will not, give up on hope and a brighter future for all. Not now, not ever! I absolutely refuse to believe that death is all that awaits us at the end, all that is expected from this plane of existence is eternal darkness! There is the Light of Hope that still burns bright in every living being, and even a single smallest candle will be able to illuminate even the darkest of shadows!"
Standing, Edaan resolutely declared, "And I would give my light, all that I am if it meant spreading that same Light into countless souls across the four corners of the galaxy, and to protect my family and all those I hold dear! That," Biting back his tears, he finished, "that is my resolve, as a Jedi, a husband, a future father, and a servant of the Gods and their eternal flame!"
Moments passed by, agonizing moments that seemed to stretch on for eternity, and the minute that passed by left Edaan feeling more haggard than ever before, but with a clearer sense of purpose and determination than he ever felt in his life.
Whether or not this future was truly set in stone, or if it was all just a hallucination part of his trials, the message it gave Edaan was all too clear, and he would do everything possible to protect and nourish the galaxy with light, even if it cost him his life, utter sanity, and vibrant soul in the process.
And when he was at his lowest point again, he would remind himself that he was never truly alone in this struggle, that he had the memory of his deceased relatives, his newfound family in Adari and their future children, his friends and teammates, and the Jedi Order to support him, so he would do the same for them.
Even as the metaphysical wounds Krayt inflicted cut deep, deeper than any battle injuries or torture he had suffered, a small corner of Edaan's mind recognized what was happening.
This was the lesson Taron wanted him to learn: the incredible burden that he had placed on himself, as important as it was for many decades or centuries to come, would be all but meaningless when compared to the eons of time that would continue for the universe and all the galaxies it contained.
In fact, he remembered the Jedi Archives' few mentions to a former Miraluka Jedi, Galen Besk, and his example of laying the foundations for a sustainable network of communities on Tatooine near the end of the Cold War between Jedi and Sith thirty-six centuries ago. Through his subtle deeds and inspiration, he was able to help remind the Jedi Master known only as the Barsen'thor of the value of such smaller actions and their potential impact on such a grand scale for a planet and civilization.
That, Edaan knew, was the legacy he truly wanted to leave behind after his passing. Even as he performed incredible deeds and saved countless lives while serving the Jedi, he still remembered the value of everyday acts of kindness and empathy to nearly everyone he encountered, and the impact such deeds and words could have on countless broken souls.
Just then, a cleansing sensation came over him, almost as if his soul was being rejuvenated by this promise and boundless hope from his final trial, and that a terrible burden was starting to lift from his soul's deepest core. The darkness that once dominated his heart was being lifted, and although it would always try to tempt him, he would not succumb to despair or hopelessness. That was a sure pathway to the Dark Side, and he knew his destiny lie along a better direction.
Although Edaan did not know how whatever this unseen power was, whether it was from the trials, a part of Taron's potions, his inner light shining brighter than ever before, or a gift from the Celestials, he knew the lessons it carried, and that he would hold onto it to his dying day. And equally important, he knew he was finally ready to face Krayt and the Sith's armies head on alongside his wife and comrades when they made their move on Dathomir.
'Get ready, Krayt. You and your disciples aren't gonna know what hit you the moment you come for us.' Edaan earnestly vowed as the mindscape collapsed, allowing the Jedi Knight to exit his trance and finally wake up.
Rising from his bed, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim light permeating the room while wetting his parched lips with what little saliva remained in his mouth and hearing his stomach growl with a rancor's strength, he knew that he what he needed before he joined the Jedi's final defensive preparations.
First, he would reassure his wife through their Force Bond that all was well before eating and drinking his fill to replenish his reserves. Then he would see what could be done to prepare for the coming assault.
Afterwards, he would write down everything he experienced in his visions and get Artoo to transmit the information to Grand Master Katarn before helping finalize the defenses.
If the trial he went through was any indication of what the future might hold, he needed to get the word out to the Alliance of Light now so its diverse factions could work to find Zonama Sekot before the Sith did. He would not let the worries of the present prevent him from preparing for the possible future, especially one so apocalyptic as what he just experienced.
0530 Hours
Demetras Sector Outskirts
Aboard the CEC VCX-100 light freighter Ghost
"All right, Wren. You're all set on your end, and we've got to get going to our own objective. Give the Sith and your dar'manda enemies plenty of hell." Grace commed Sabine.
"Same to you, Lieutenant Tirall." Sabine complimented the Paladin. "I wager you've got the more exciting mission this time around."
"Then we'll have to compare notes when we meet up again." Grace enthusiastically challenged the colonel before signing off, leaving Sabine to regret her current course.
She wished she could join the young woman and the Jedi on their mission to save Dathomir, having a gut feeling Krayt and his Sith would cut right through their force with ease without the proper aid. It would have reminded her of her battles with the Spectres and their run-ins with Vader and the Inquisitors before their final battle with the Sith Lord on Korriban. And she had a good hunch that a certain Sith Lord with an affinity with animals would be there, making Sabine the best fighter to contend against her old friend in Snoke.
But the veteran soldier in her knew that her home sector came first as the primary target, since a culture as militaristic and dangerous as the Mandalorians could not be allowed to fall under the total domination of the One Sith and their lackeys.
However, that did not mean the old rebel in her would just do nothing while her newfound friends and allies made a suicidal run against an unstoppable enemy. Of course, she would have to make a few calls to her children and best officers, and probably make a personal apology to Mand'alor when this day was over, but it would all be worth it when at least two decisive victories were achieved by the Alliance and their allies by then.
Reaching out to Grace's personal vessel, she offered, "Actually, you think you can wait up to an hour, or just leave a few ships behind for us to follow? You do that, and I should be able to get you a few professional crews and a couple heavy warships inbound for Dathomir by then."
"I think we'll gladly accept any aid you can offer us." Grace cordially acquiesced, relieving Sabine, even while confusing her by admitting, "And I think we'll soon have more assistance against Krayt than you realize."
0400 Hours
Batuu Orbit, Aboard the Dodonna
Not even the fiery devastation Kashyyyk suffered from Darth Caedus's madness could compare to the hellscape that was being created on the planet below, and it infuriated Kara in how she was powerless to stop such utter destruction and brutality.
Across half of the planet's southern hemisphere, thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of kilometers of forests, plains, and small settlements were being obliterated by the one hundred-megaton bombs, leaving nothing but a bare skeleton of radioactive refuse and charred surface below. The sheer strength of the bombs was even decimating the smaller mountains and drying up the rivers and large portions of the world's oceans in the process.
An utterly horrific diversion, but an effective one in diverting the Alliance from pursuing the fleeing One Sith. At least, it would have been if one of Dician's Sith acolytes did not make the fatal mistake in broadcasting her mistress's strategy in an unbalanced and desperate effort to undermine the mixed force's resolve and confuse their mission objectives.
With the information quickly made public to the remains of the Freedom's Riches cult and Batuu's few remaining enemy-controlled settlements, the Sith disciple had miscalculated and triggered a massive insurrection within their own ranks.
Meanwhile, several enemy transports, and even a few capital ships brave enough to desert, had used their vessels' vacant space to evacuate at least six thousand besieged citizens and slaves and ferry the refugees to Alliance-controlled havens. Given all they were doing, giving the defectors a full pardon after full cooperation, and turning over their sizable cargo of Esh-kha survivors to the proper authorities was a small price to pay for such a boon.
At least a few Sith servants knew when to draw the line somewhere, not that it mattered too much when a planet was being all but obliterated, but it would make the attack on the Black Spire Ruins all that much easier.
Now that the Sith had played their hand, it was time for the Galactic Alliance and Confederation to do their part and help their groundside compatriots bring Dician and her remaining followers to justice before they could cause any more devastation.
0430 Hours
Black Spire Ruins
Within the Sith Command Center
"I give you simple instructions to follow and a timely window to execute my strategies. So simple that even a child could have no difficulty comprehending or implementing them, and we would have been on our way out of this dead world by now." Dician all but screamed at her wilting apprentice while blasting her with repeated bursts of lightning, not only to drive the Falleen's failure to home, but to serve as a lasting reminder of open defiance or incompetence.
Ending the torture, Dician levitated the apprentice to face her before continuing, "And in a moment of soft-heartedness and misplaced sympathies, you decide to jeopardize everything we've worked for by giving the Alliance the perfect weapon to tear our coalition apart, with all you have to show for it being one meager ex-actor and maverick commando!
"Now, my remaining followers and I must adapt and escape this world before all is lost. But you, for letting your weakness get the best of you and dooming much of our prize, you will not share in such a simple gift."
Allowing a toothy smile to show, revealing small signs of decay from the sheer volume of Dark Side energy emanating from her, Dician concluded, "No, I would have come up with a more suitable punishment in store for you, would Lord Krayt have not ordered you kept alive for now. He has a far better reward in mind for such a willful and disobedient soul such as yourself."
0500 Hours
Korriban, Darth Krayt's Citadel
Within the Intensive Care Medbay
"Our Sorcerers and interrogators have made so little progress on stabilizing Ochi's condition or identifying his assailants?" Tau skeptically deduced while addressing Wyyrlok's hologram. "I was unaware matters here had grown that dire."
After spending the last thirteen days with the Aphra family, studying the Sith's ancient teachings and learning what he could of the One Sith's darkest schemes and secrets to prepare for his lone sabotage campaign, Tau knew his time with the family would soon end, so he had to make the most of what was left.
And all that studying was done while helping Lona and Chelli prepare their escape, with him already choosing a ship for them to commandeer with plenty of valuable intel for the Alliance to use against the Sith. He only hoped his creators would not uncover his treachery until he was ready to make his ultimate move.
Unfortunately for his hosts, it seemed the Sith were finally ready to make good use of their Iteration's unique talents, which was an ill-timed choice for the six traitors.
A shame, since Tau had aided the Aphra women and their droid friends in impeding Darths Nox and See-Chok's investigations on Lona's earlier assault, and he knew he would be unable to keep any of them safe for much longer.
"Neither of us have time for sarcasm or doubts, Iteration." Wyyrlok impatiently derided the Palpatine clone. "It is time for a new approach in restoring Ochi's health and uncovering the saboteurs in our domain, meaning we use every resource and technique at our disposal to win this war."
"And you think I can do the job better than your best scientists and healers?" Tau reminded the Chargrian, earning him a death glare before shrinking under it and anxiously muttering, "I'll get started right away."
"See that you do." Wyyrlok approvingly nodded. "I believe your unique connection to the Force, with your ties to both the Light and the Dark Sides of the Force, will be critical in defeating the poison that has nearly claimed Ochi's life.
"But if you are unable to save his life, then glean what information you can from his mind on the traitor before he is lost to us for good." Wyyrlok warned.
Bowing in faux-obedience, Tau promised, "I will do everything I possibly can to save the assassin and uncover the identity of his assailant." All the while, his mind worked through dozens of scenarios to try and stall the healing, and to send word to the Aphras on their shortened window of opportunity.
They would have to make their move within the next few days, a week at the very most, if they hoped to escape this hellhole and journey to Alliance territories. But in seeing a certain, familiar, and lethal astromech droid roll by, Tau saw the perfect opportunity to relay this new information to Lona and Chelli.
0730 Hours
Falleen, Within the Capital City
Aboard the Conquest
Everything was nearly in place. Phobar and his hunters had siphoned nearly all the required credits and vital materials and information from Redhan's custody, all under the disgraced king's nose while preparing for the final battle against the Jedi's coalition. Meanwhile, Malleus and Ship would coordinate the last-ditch defense before the One Sith finally departed this lost cause and began their next mission for their master.
Lady Irola knew all of this and relished leaving this doomed world before returning to far more glorious battlefields. Even so, a small part of her mourned the countless fallen comrades that had to be left behind and hated the minor victory they were required give over to the Jedi, even as she knew the Sith would soon return to reconquer this world and establish a firmer presence here to oversee the ungrateful populace.
But she would delight at the final task she, her remaining forces, and all their surviving followers were given by their betters, leaving a lasting reminder of the consequences of defying the supreme masters of the Dark Side. In less than thirty-six hours, they would be on their way to better conquests, and Irola would be utterly relieved when this accursed world was thousands of light-years behind her.
0800 Hours
Lajinda, Within the Town Hall
"We'll do as you ask, Sirs, and make sure the children are free from any possible conditioning." Phasma spoke on behalf of the four Sith defectors before the assembled Alliance Leadership.
"I assume you'll have Jedi and Alliance observers watching over us in case we try anything funny?" Verla derisively asked, earning her a reproachful glance from her lover and other two fellow penitent souls.
"It's for your own protection as much as ours' and the children's." Allana clarified on Keyan's behalf. "Plenty of people all around you don't trust repentant Sith and would rather have you all dead for your crimes, not to mention potential infiltrators that want retribution on you all. That means we can't afford to take any risks or allow any divisions in our ranks to fester within us at this critical juncture."
"Guess that means we won't be taking part in the final battle for Falleen." Vestara lightly joked, paling and shrinking back a little at the scowl Han aimed at her for the poor jest.
"We're not going to make the same mistake and blindly trust you as we did on Coruscant, Vestara." Keyan adamantly told her before clarifying to each of them, "Haxim wants each of you to be in a position that will require each of your unique talents, and will help us liberate the capital, hopefully with far fewer casualties than projected."
"How exactly is that any different than blindly trusting us?" Phasma irritably pointed out.
"Well, let's just say we're going to make sure we can't lose any of you or force you into making another terrible choice out of an ultimatum." Han elusively answered, the meaning at least clear to Vestara. "But whether we like it or not, we need each of your help to end this civil war."
"And you will allow Haxim's request, given our track record?" Ferren skeptically reminded the Galactic Alliance general.
"Your role in the liberation of Port Nowhere's Observatory, and the Jedi's testimonies, did a great deal to prove your worth to many of us." Traest patiently pointed out. "And there are still the matters of Darth Malleus, his fellow Sith, and their sentient war vessel that are still on the loose within this world. We need people who know how they think and can counter their bags of tricks to help us win this brushfire conflict quickly and decisively."
"And that means we need all the information and secrets you haven't given us yet, so we need to start debriefing all of you rather extensively before the final push begins." Garazeb finished before jokingly adding, "Best not lie at all to any of our spooks, or things will be rather uncomfortable for us all. Well, you more than us."
0900 Hours
Within Chiss Space, On Cioral
Inside the House Miurani Estate
Within Rensalm's Cabin
Saganu should have seen this betrayal coming, even as he read through the fool's traitorous communications and data logs. He knew Rensalm Caster, someone he invited into his own home, was a nauseatingly virtuous human who had no regard for family loyalties or respect for the power structures of the Chiss Ascendancy and was prepared to dispose of him before he could betray him or House Miurani.
But somehow, he had been utterly fooled by Rensalm, Supreme General Ba'Kif, around a hundred more of his fellow Chiss, their off-world allies, especially Zakuul and the sanctimonious Jedi, and the Empire of the Hand's interference in such a grand conspiracy that was led by a clone of Grand Admiral Thrawn that was meant to subvert the Ascendancy and all its time-honored traditions and institutions.
They, in all their insanity, believed that the disharmony of the galaxy and its millions of cultures could serve as a role-model for the Chiss after the countless wars that had devoured the galaxy over the countless millennia of their floundering democratic governments and theocracies. Such a thought sickened Saganu to his very core so much that it was almost too demented to believe, but he knew otherwise.
This knowledge had to be made aware to the public immediately, before the poison the traitors had injected could spread any further into the Ascendancy's structures. If the top leadership had fallen victim to deception and betrayed its oath to protect the Chiss's sovereignty, then it fell to Saganu, his allies in the Syndicature, and the rest of the Chiss's untainted power structures to topple this insidious corruption while protecting their borders and security from countless external threats.
But if such legal methods failed, then Saganu would do whatever it took to ensure that Thrawn's legacy was expunged from the galaxy, even if it cost him his life and his house. After all, the Chiss people would not stand idly by while a shadowy cabal led their culture to the brink of utter extinction, and perhaps a little disorder would remind them what it was they truly sought from their society and government: order and a path of certainty in life.
These last few weeks, perhaps even months, would determine the ultimate path and fate of the Chiss Ascendancy, and Saganu would do whatever it took for his confederates and their time-honored traditions to come out on top.
1000 Hours
Shedu Maad, Jedi Temple
Within the Grand Master's Office
Zonama Sekot. Those were two words Kyle ever expected to hear with such dread from any Jedi, but they came out from Edaan not an hour ago, amid the nearly desperate babble that came out from his report.
While he was pleased his student had faced his darkness head on and learned that he would have to continue mastering it until the end, it was overshadowed by the large-scale implications of what he might have learned from the hallucination.
If Krayt truly was coveting that world and its untold capabilities, he needed to be stopped before whatever plan he was forming could reach completion. But that meant the Jedi Order and their allies had to fight with such speed, strength, and unity they had not used for so many years and bring about a decisive end to these small-scale wars.
That meant coming clean to every leader about the situation and preparing for a state of total war against the One Sith and their Unknown Regions pawns. While the Neo Death Watch and rogue Imperials under Krayt's command were still a potent force that needed to be dealt with quickly, never mind getting a force onto Korriban to capture the Sith's headquarters, they all paled in comparison to the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong and their adopted homeworld fighting on the Sith's side.
The Jedi had to reach out to the Chiss and get the Alliance to send the Ascendancy an armada's worth of additional reinforcements before it was too late, and that could only be done by going through their obstinate Syndicature and Aristocracy.
Well, on that unfortunate note, it was best to get started on reaching out to the galactic leadership right away. He had better start with Chief of State Yimmon, Queen Mother Tenel Ka, and Head of State Fel. They were the strongest powers that were on the best terms with the Jedi and had most of the political and military clout to offer the Chiss Ascendancy, even as obstinate as the oligarchical power was while still under siege.
1040 Hours
Batuu, 50 Kilometers Eastward from Black Spire Ruins
Aboard the Aidel Saxan
Turr had witnessed many acts of treachery and destruction on many worlds. Indeed, he had partaken in many of such deceptive acts himself during his decades of Imperial service before recognizing the value of honor and restraint and had worked tirelessly to reinvent himself in service to the Confederation.
But his old impulses were ready to rear their ugly head again in the face of such a depraved response by the One Sith on a world once as pristine and lush as Batuu, and he would do nothing to stop them. Seeing countless acres of land and an untold number of life forms destroyed so easily, all to serve as a diversion for the Sith's escape with their bounty of treasures and minerals, it stood against everything the supreme commander had grown to stand for.
In complete consensus with the Galactic Alliance and their unconventional allies, the coalition would divert a portion of their resources towards rescuing the few surviving settlers from a horrific end. That task would be made exponentially easier with the defectors from the Freedom's Riches cult.
Meanwhile, the bulk of their fleets would launch their full might on Dician and her diminishing list of allies in their command center before they could finish their withdrawal. If all went as planned, this world, however marred its beauty and life force might be, would be liberated from its tyrannical rule by the end of the day.
But the residual radiation from the blast would render most of the world uninhabitable, and the survivors would have to be relocated to other worlds for many decades until it could dissipate, and the land could be fertile again. A costly price for a pyrrhic victory, and the lessons from this strategy would have to be implemented quickly before any other worlds could suffer a similar grisly fate.
1300 Hours
Demetras Sector, Within the Fenel System's Outskirts
Aboard the Turbulent-class Star Destroyer Firedrake
"Sir, we have multiple unidentified signatures coming out of hyperspace just outside our firing range." A sensors officer called out to the Firedrake's captain, before anxiously adding, "Make that exactly fifty, and almost half of them are all converging on us."
"Get me a visual and a line to High Command and our contacts in the Horuset System, Use the 'Priority Omega' comm signal. We need everyone to see just what we're dealing with here." The destroyer's commanding officer, Captain Elara Stark, sternly ordered her subordinate to try and maintain firm control of her command.
Seeing approximately three dozen frigates and corvettes approaching her ship from half a dozen angles, along with the remaining fourteen composed of capital ships and smaller warships flying straight towards the system's sole planet, Elara instinctively knew the Jedi and their so-called Alliance of Light had launched their full-scale counteroffensive on the Neo Death Watch and their allies.
Knowing how quiet the sector had been over the last week, the onetime Imperial officer knew a surge in the Mandalorians' civil war was inevitable. What she did not expect was how swift and ferocious the incoming attack would be.
And against the large fleet amassed before her, she knew her paltry task force would be easy pickings before they moved onto bigger and better targets under the One Sith's control. That meant Lecersen, that insufferable Mandalorian supremacist in Belok Rhal, and their shared comrades in the Sith needed to know of the inbound invasion before they were caught completely unaware.
"Sir, all but two of our comm signals are being jammed." The comms officer fearfully alerted her. "We're receiving a single open transmission from another vessel outside the system, and it's identifying itself as a Nebula-class Star Destroyer designated the Nantz. You'd best see the speaker for yourself."
Pulling up a hologram of the speaker, Elara was appalled to see Jaina Solo Fel, one of the chief architects for the Empire's complete transformation into a Jedi puppet, garbed in customized Imperial Special Forces armor, speaking to her captive audience.
Ignoring the Jedi Master's inane drivel on the Lecersen supporters "betraying the Empire and undoing decades of progress" and giving them a final ultimatum or facing destruction, Elara tersely ordered her comm specialist, "Record every word the usurper utters." Turning to her navigations officer, she coolly spoke, "Prepare an emergency jump out of the system once the Jedi ends her paltry threats. I don't care where, just get us away from this lost world."
"Sir, the enemy fleet, they're breaking off their attacks and sending us orders to leave the system in exactly five minutes, or they'll shoot us down." A comms officer pointed out before continuing, "And we're receiving word from Gargon that they're receiving the same transmission we are. High Command and Lord Wyyrlok ordered us to pull out and withdraw to RV Point Alpha-Ten."
Not knowing the reason for why the enemy would allow such weakness by letting a fully armed and manned capital ship escape the system, but not willing to squander this one chance at survival, Elara quickly gave orders to her crew to commence an immediate hyperspace jump.
Revenge could wait for now. First things first, her superiors needed all the information they could acquire on this enemy force before coming up with an effective counterattack strategy.
1345 Hours
Mandalore Sector, Gargon System
Aboard the Kandosii-type Dreadnaught Indomitable
Aboard his flagship, the last physical relic of the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, stolen from the wreckage above the remains of Malachor V and refitted with the latest in modern technology, it was the perfect vessel to serve as the mobile capital of the Neo Death Watch, and the best place to plan their campaigns of conquest with their Sith partners.
Tragically, the operations that were underway were anything but beneficial for the dark allies. Fenel. Concord Dawn. Zanbar. Jakelia. The four planets, each a key world in the Neo Death Watch's war machine and a staging ground for their impending assault on Mandalore, were coming under attack by the combined forces of the Alliance of Light, thereby undoing years of progress in securing their position while undermining their control over much of their sector.
According to the four surviving capital ships that were allowed to escape each star system, the attacks that followed the jamming fields put up over each fleet bought the Alliance enough time to wreak a path of devastation over each world and most of the Neo Death Watch's key installations before jumping into hyperspace.
Each of these defeats were enough to fill Belok Rhal with an even greater and insatiable need to destroy Fett's legacy. If the legendary bounty hunter was foolish enough to ally with the Jedi after all they did to him and the Mandalorians, he was truly a traitor to his birthright and needed to be put down before his ideas spread to any other true followers of the true way of Mandalore.
And that same promise extended towards the Imperials allied with Fett's faction, the Silentium, the Galactic Alliance, the smugglers and businessmen supplying them war materials, and every other outsider who dared defy the true Mando'ade.
Once the Mandalore Sector was cleansed of its cancerous rot, Belok and his disciples would be able to remake the Mandalorians into the ultimate warrior culture, and not the simple guns-for-hire or guardians of a miniscule sector of space that defined the tenures of Jaster Mereel and Fenn Shysa as Manda'lor.
But before that dream could be realized, he needed to confer with his partners and reevaluate their battle plan. Turning to the holograms of Drikl Lecersen and Darth Wyyrlok, he reluctantly began, "I think we're going to need a new strategy to take out Fett and his Jedi handlers."
Mandalore Sector, Ordo System
Aboard the Mandator
'That assessment would be obvious to a blind, deaf, lobotomized patient, you bloodthirsty idiot!" Drikl derisively thought after hearing Belok's opening remark and would have said far worse to the Mandalorian if he had the chance.
Seeing the same reports that crossed Lord Wyyrlok and Belok's flagships, the renegade Moff had a sinking suspicion their stranglehold within the Mandalore Sector was about to come crashing down from right underneath them, and another vital set of allies would soon be eradicated.
With the Freedom's Riches cult collapsing and the galaxy's leaders arrayed against the Sith, it was clear the Mandalorians' civil war was next on the Jedi's crosshairs. Once that was done, the Jedi could concentrate their full might on taming the Unknown Regions and invading Korriban, effectively bringing an end to the One Sith and dooming anyone previously mad enough to join them to a short lifespan as fugitives, prisoners, or executed victims.
If Lord Krayt and his disciples could not locate whatever they were searching for in the Unknown Regions to tip the scales of this failing war, then the long-term strategy Lecersen, Jenna Sauro, and each of their contacts and Sith observers were preparing would be more vital than ever to ensure the One Sith's survival.
To take a page from Luke Skywalker and his fabled Great River project of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the One Sith would need trusted allies to funnel vast resources, supporters, and information across the galaxy for smaller cells to sow the seeds for their inevitable return to power.
Whether through sowing insurgents in vulnerable areas, installing malleable puppets and willing servants in coveted positions of power, taking the strongest and hiding them outside the Jedi's grasp, or just doing whatever feasible to subtly undermine the Jedi's hold over the galaxy, the One Sith would not die out so easily.
A worthy alteration of such a pacifistic approach towards facing an apocalyptic enemy, and an ultimate insult to the weak-willed Jedi Master and his pathetic legacy. But first, the Sith had to bloody the Alliance of Light and ensure the Grand Design did not falter before it could reach completion.
1400 Hours
Korriban, Darth Krayt's Citadel
Within the Intensive Care Medbay
Tau knew the poison Lona used on Ochi, a Vahl-based substance called Malichor, had already done extensive damage to the assassin's nervous system and pushed him to the brink of death far ahead of its intended incubation period. Even if Ochi was able to recover from this harrowing experience, it would likely take him months before he could even consider rejoining the field. Hopefully, by that time, the One Sith would be eradicated and their followers could be brought to justice.
It would be so easy to give Ochi a gentle nudge and let the Sith loyalist expire, it was almost too much temptation for Tau to resist. But that would entail far too much risk of exposure for the future defector.
Drawing on his progenitor's memories and inbred connection to the Light Side, Tau remembered how Luke and the unborn Ben Skywalker had used the Force to cure Mara Jade Skywalker of the coomb spore disease that ought to have killed her two years earlier by Yuuzhan Vong agent Nom Anor.
Such an example would serve him well in saving the Sith agent, if only he could pinpoint the Vahl's dark spark of life within the sea of shadow in his soul, all the while keeping his intentions a secret from a veteran of the One Sith's twisted campaigns in their bid for galactic domination.
Perhaps it was time to take a page from the Je'daii Order of eons old and walk the pivot between the Light and the Dark if he were to locate the assassin's flickering life force. If either side of the Force alone could not accomplish this objective, then what did Tau have to lose other than a little more time by trying something different and unconventional?
1430 Hours
Allya Mountains, Jedi Praxeum
"It's almost time." Adari solemnly told Edaan, observing him nearly finish securing his personal combat armor before she completed fine-tuning his prosthetic hand. They both could feel the dark storm brewing in the Force, and immediately knew what it meant. Krayt was rearing up to make his attack on Dathomir and its Jedi installations, and time was nearly up.
Once she secured the synthskin covering and locked it in place, she glanced back at her husband, who was busy struggling to get his personal Jedi combat armor on and offered him, "Need any help with putting the last of that on?"
"I'll take any aid I can in getting this back on." Edaan ruefully agreed, struggling to get the right shoulder pauldron in place while testing the motors in his mechanical hand. "I think I might've lost a few pounds, maybe even ten at most, since last putting this on."
"Yeah, right! With the way you eat most of your meals, I'd sooner believe you gained a few pounds than you lost a bit of weight." Adari genuinely laughed, earning a few earnest chuckles from Edaan in return.
Seeing his eyes light up so readily and fully, it filled her with a relief she had not felt since long before she met her soulmate. Being trapped on her Sith-dominated homeworld and fighting against her ancestral oppressors for so many years all on her own left her jaded and mistrustful of most beings. It was not until the Jedi invaded her people's world that she was forced to confront her own prejudices and learn the boundless value of the galaxy's countless worlds, peoples, and institutions and what Kesh could learn from each of them.
After hearing Edaan talk about the trials and the horrors he had endured, the sheer terror alone of the last set of visions gave her was almost enough to want to flee this planet and war and find a remote settlement in the Unknown Regions to raise a family in isolated peace, somewhere that did not have any knowledge of the galaxy and the couple's renowned names.
Fortunately, due to Edaan and Master Malicos's comforting presence and wise words, such fears were quickly dashed and replaced with a resolute desire to bring Krayt down before he could complete his ultimate strategy, whatever it might be. As much as Edaan wanted to figure out his endgame and make sense of the visions, he knew that could wait until Dathomir was safe from their assailants.
And with at most a couple hours left before the Sith commenced with their assault, those words and the looming battle would serve as the perfect anchor to keep both Palpatines grounded and focused on the present.
First, they would offer their prayers to the Celestials and hope for the safety of their friends, this world's inhabitants, and a way to lead the galaxy into a new epoch of peace. Then they would finish aiding their fellow Jedi and allies in defending Dathomir from its invaders.
The time had passed for contemplation and training. Now, everything was in place for the first physical confrontation between the Dread Lord of the Sith and the man who would soon become the second Sword of the Jedi.
Well, I'm sure this is a good place to end the chapter. Sorry if it was too exposition heavy or had too many plots tangled together, I just thought it makes sense to start setting the stage for the next story, even if I won't begin it for quite some time. So, what did you think of this chapter? I hope you enjoy as we start entering the endgame of most of the battles, even as new battlefronts are beginning in earnest, and there was plenty for all of you to like and appreciate. And I hope you enjoyed Edaan's spiritual journey and realization, as well as the steamy stuff between Ben and Vestara. But more importantly, the story is moving along towards the climactic battle, but how we get there is still a mystery to all, especially myself. Still, that's part of the fun of writing, you never know where you'll end up.
In other news, how are you all doing on this warm night of Monday, May 16, 2022? I'm well, if a bit winded from working a 7.5-hour shift today, and I still have four more of those in a row to do this week. And I still need to get Ch. 24 revised and published, so there's no telling how the alterations will change this chapter afterwards. Well, with all that out of the way, I'd best keep this chapter safe until the time is right to publish it. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
