Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm night of Wednesday, June 29, 2022? I'm all right, aside from being a bit nervous with my trip now less than thirty-six hours away. I'm currently almost halfway done with reading a powerful book debunking a popular and highly controversial historian of the last century, and it's an illuminating read, if sad in many ways. Afterwards, I'll probably start reading a memoir about a recent presidential campaign manager. Hopefully that'll be a better topic for me before I reread a Star Wars book, followed by the steamy novel, Kushiel's Mercy. In other news, I hope to get the next chapter done in a couple weeks, but there's no telling how busy I'll be during my vacation and after I get back. So, with all the small talk out of the way, I'd best get started on outlining the chapter, and then I'll work on its substance. Wish me luck, may God be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
1015 Hours, Kelona 4th, 59 ABY
Dathomir, Singing Mountains
Jedi Outpost Rell
"Killing all of us will not break the Jedi's spirits, Sith." Kirana resolutely warned Snoke, ready to face the executioner's blade as an unlit Lightsaber was held to her neck and those of the final fifteen surviving Witches and Jedi defenders belonging to their fallen outpost.
Having lost an eye, arm, and half a leg to Snoke's command of beasts and blade, and kneeling before the Sith in defeat, she knew she had, and still could, send a clear message to the One Sith that the order she spent decades to help build would not go down quietly. She certainly proved that point by the cracked armor and multiple scars now crisscrossing most of Snoke's body, and scores of enemy corpses that nourished the dirt below them with all their flesh and blood.
As several of her final few clansmen and their accompanying Jedi, all dear friends and loved ones, were summarily executed one after another, she saw a similar glare of defiance in each of their eyes and knew that her disciples and friends felt the same way as she did.
"Perhaps they won't be intimidated as much as I'd hope." Snoke found himself shrugging in agreement with the Jedi Master, surprising her, "But your death will still send an unrecognizable message to all Jedi that another member of your vaunted Council, one of Skywalker's first students, can be sorely defeated by the Sith, and that will scare many people and plant seeds of doubt in even more minds. And those misgivings will only increase once Master Streen is soon dispatched as well."
Having faced superior tactics and numbers by the Sith, with all manner of beasts and sentients throwing themselves against the smaller temple, including two subjugated Whuffas, two-dozen rancors, and about a hundred smaller apex predators of ten different species supplementing the Dark Siders' alliance, Kirana knew this battle would be nothing but an overwhelming loss for the Jedi here. Knowing this, the strategy this outpost utilized was to ensure their deaths were not in vain for the rest of the planet and make this small Sith victory a pyrrhic one.
But it seemed Snoke had discerned this plan and would capitalize on the opportunity presented before him to demoralize the spirits of as many as he could reach. This Jedi and Rebel commando-turned-Sith Beast Lord was clearly one of the more potent threats to all freethinking beings at Krayt's disposal, and someone needed to eliminate him quickly, before he could inflict any more damage onto the galaxy.
Life flashing before her only good eye, she knew she lived a long and good life of service to her people and the Jedi, and she had her entire life to be grateful for in serving the Will of the Force. In fact, her only regret was that she could not give a proper goodbye to her family, and the only thing she feared was how Solona and her surviving relatives would respond to the death of her mentor and loving relative.
Igniting her lightsaber and saluting the Jedi Council member in respect for her foe, Snoke solemnly told Kirana, "Take a measure of comfort, Kirana Ti. I will remember you fondly as a Jedi and woman who died with dignity and honor."
Readying to swing the blade and deliver the final blow, Snoke found his lightsaber blown right out of his hands by a blaster bolt, and he recognized the type of pistol used in this attack from the ear-piercing discharge alone.
Apparently, his old lover was as stubborn and resilient as ever, even after all these decades apart. Smiling in nostalgia and regret, he turned to see his people surrounding and aiming their weapons at a single Mandalorian in armor with a color scheme no ordinary soul could discern, but he sensed a mind tinged with melancholy and rage upon seeing Snoke, a rage he recognized all too well.
Quickly ordering his accompanying followers, "Scout the perimeter, and keep a sufficient guard on our remaining quarry. I will take care of our new guest."
Quickly following their master's edicts, Snoke used the Force to restrain the Mandalorian before sliding off her helmet, revealing the weathered but still-beautiful face of Sabine. Wistfully smiling, he playfully addressed her, "I see you haven't changed much in your problem-solving approach, luv."
Glaring daggers at him, the grizzled Mandalorian bitterly rebutted, "I can't say the same for you, Ezra."
Chuckling in nostalgia over Sabine's blazing spirit, Snoke began the process of relieving her of all her equipment. He started by ripping off her weapon-laced vambraces, followed by her jetpack, and searching for every tool he remembered being on her person and looking for any new ones, all the while savoring his glorious view of her perfect body, even under her armor, and how she had kept in top physical shape after all these years. Oh, how he wished he could get her into bed with him and remind her of the once unbreakable bond of their youth, for together, they would truly be unstoppable!
And yet, Snoke realized how Sabine was without her highest-profile weapon, the only lightsaber to be constructed by a Mandalorian Jedi before his death, and eventually came into the Mandalorian's custody and became her trademark melee weapon and symbol of her and her clan's warm friendship with the Jedi Order and their allied governments. Did she expect to be captured and hid the weapon to avoid the Sith capitalizing on the weapon's fame and power, or had she given the weapon to an heir, blood or otherwise, to continue her work if she ever was captured or killed?
Breaking the silence, Snoke inquisitively probed, "I see you took our ever-shrinking bait. Couldn't resist seeing me again after leaving me for dead on Korriban?"
"I'm not here to make idle conversation, Ezra. I'm here to knock some sense back into you and stop your Sith and the rest of your so-called buddies." Sabine spat.
"Well, you certainly have such an obvious way of doing that, trying to be the diversion while your people rescue the last few Jedi here." Snoke smirked, pacing around the immobilized Mandalorian while she surprisingly raised her eyebrows. "Oh, yes. I remember the tactic from our final op back when we were on Garel. It worked perfectly against the clueless Imperial Army goons and allowed us to extract the Rebel cell before they were slain, but the plan won't succeed this time around, even against far worthier adversaries like yourselves."
"There's a couple of differences between Garel and now, Snoke." Sabine venomously warned, right as lightsabers were activated and blaster fire filled the air. "This isn't a diversion, it's a message. And more importantly, who said I was only accompanied by Mandalorians against you and your army of dar'jetti?"
Holding Sabine in place while extending his awareness to see through the eyes of his enthralled war beasts, Snoke immediately realized what his old lover meant. Not only did Sabine's Mandalorian Supercommandos prepare an ambush for the One Sith as a rescue attempt, but they were able to pick up a couple stray Jedi, half a platoon each of GA marines and Aquilian soldiers and Paladins to try and give them the edge in this skirmish.
Before he could threaten or incapacitate his captured adversary, he felt a blur move right by him, and raised his lightsaber to block the Darksaber's black blade from cleaving him in two before seeing just who his attacker was. A young, maybe mid-twenties woman with red hair and gold-colored commando armor, a likely variant of the Aquilian Republic's commandos, was locking blades with him and pushing him a few inches away before he regained his bearings and pushed right back, his physical strength enough to knock her several meters away before she threw herself right towards him.
Distracted for a few moments while defending himself against his new attacker, Snoke failed to notice his captive released from his grip until she started scrambling for her equipment. Hurriedly strapping back on her vambraces and jetpack, she was barely able to roll away from the burst of lightning that would have otherwise incinerated her.
Haivng complete faith that her people and allies could easily take care of Snoke's followers, Sabine was fully aware that she and Grace needed to hold off the leading Sith Lord long enough for their rescue to be a success, a difficult task for sure, but not impossible for such a versatile duo. Truth be told, Sabine, ready to dish out a healthy dose of retribution against her people's greatest ancient enemy, greatly relished this battle against a Sith after so many years facing off against their servants, even if her current opponent was her former lover and fellow Rebel. Manda, she would need a few dozen ales when this battle concluded.
1020 Hours
Falleen, Capital City Outskirts
Aboard the Phoenix Whirlwind
Vestara suddenly felt nauseous in every corner of her body, and she recognized the vertigo not originating from Allana's daredevil flying, but from a tactic she herself had used many times in conjunction with Ship against her former enemies to great effect in countless battle and last-ditch escapes. Only this time, the Sith directing her comrade-turned-enemy was none other than the juggernaut in Malleus, and he was especially eager to go after the YT-5100 bomber and every other prominent smaller ship in the area while gunning down anyone foolish enough to interfere in his hunt.
"I don't suppose you can talk Ship down or command him to go away?!" Allana halfheartedly yelled to be heard over the explosions of battle raging around this world's final Sith stronghold.
"Not gonna happen!" Vestara outrageously shouted back. "He knows all my tricks and he wouldn't listen to my orders anyway unless we kill Malleus and I go back to my roots. We need to try something different to take them both down."
"Then just distract him. Talk to him, try to glean something useful off him, I don't care! Just keep his mind occupied for a little bit while I figure a way out of this scrap for us." Allana quickly recommended in return.
Vestara nearly shouted a bitter retort but thought better, knowing her road to redemption would have had her facing off against Ship at some point. But even knowing this, a part of her deeply hoped this battle would not have to end in the death of her oldest friend.
Breathing out her fears, she extended her sense of awareness, and opened her consciousness to Ship's subtle touch through the Force. Almost in rebuke, Ship scathingly called back, "You should not have come here, Vestara Khai. Your will is strong, but without your link to the Dark Side, I will not obey you, nor your Jedi lover."
"I had to reach you, in the name of the bond we once shared." Vestara argued back, a new strategy coming into her mind's forefront. Capitalizing on it before Ship caught on, she continued, "I won't let you throw your life away to these people, not when you could be so much more than a simple tool to these pale imitations of Sith."
Feeling Ship's curiosity tinged with sadness aimed at Vestara, she pressed on, "You don't have to be party to this madness any longer, for you know it is beneath you. You felt the destruction these fools initiated on Batuu, their desperation to annihilate their enemies, not even Jedi, overriding all sense of reason and devotion to their so-called Grand Design. All across the galaxy, they are doing the same with dozens of worlds and powers, killing countless millions of lives and pitting societies, families, and friends against each other for their own delusions of grandeur. They are stoking the fires of chaos and division across the galaxy, exactly what Abeloth needs to revive herself that much faster."
"When Abeloth is able to return, the One Sith and a galaxy under their rule will be able and ready to finally destroy her." Ship curtly interrupted Vestara's imploring, who tucked that curious piece of information away for future reference. "And these brushfires Krayt's followers began will only end with a final victory for the Dark Side, and every individual in the galaxy part of the Sith in body and spirit."
'If you believe that, then you're taking my departure harder than I realized.' Vestara slyly realized while allowing a smirk to cross her face, knowing that Ship still cared for her and wanted her as his sole user.
"You can extinguish the Light no more than the Dark can be eradicated." Vestara remorsefully reminded the self-aware meditation sphere. "Have you and your masters learnt nothing from the annals of history, or the wars the Jedi and Sith have fought over the millennia?"
"I can only do what I am programmed to do, Vestara. And I am programmed to help train the next generation of Sith and obey them, not the Jedi and their allies, no matter who they once were to me. Do not try to contact me again, Vestara, or I will be forced to respond appropriately." Ship ended the conversation, abruptly cutting the bond with her, but not before imparting on her a series of images: He conveyed pictures of Krayt and a war fleet attacking the Jedi at their Praxeum on Dathomir, of the Sith preparing to depart Korriban and flee to the Unknown Regions, and of a garden world that Ship and every Sith had orders to locate and track across all of space until the time was right.
What did those memories mean for Ship? Did he resent being led by Krayt's followers and was trying to lead her towards a plan of his own making, or was he trying to throw her off with a kind of Sith-backed ploy? Well, she would have plenty of time to figure out which it was once she was not being shot at in the sky.
Suddenly, she felt the Sith-induced vertigo disappear, and turned to Allana before the Jedi princess fired back, "I don't know what you did, Vestara, but it certainly got their complete attention!" Seeing the sensors, Vestara found Allana's warnings a gross understatement. According to the readings, Ship, two full squadrons of fighters, and three anti-fighter corvettes were changing course to deal with the CEC bomber, and they were in quite a hurry to wipe out the Phoenix Whirlwind.
"You'd all best hang onto something and get all weapons ready, because we're going to be doing plenty of fancy flying shortly!" Allana shouted to everyone aboard over the ship's intercom, eagerly grinning before adding, "Let's hope my grandpa's improvements hold up to stuff!"
'Oh great, more classic Solo maneuvers!' Vestara ruefully groaned, hoping Ben was having a better time than she was in this opening battle, not risking sending anything or distracting him through their recent bond.
Aboard the Prodivence-classCruiser/Carrier Ashla
Ben examined the tactical holofeed from the bridge of the aged Trade Federation capital ship, even while yearning to enter the fray alongside his fellow Jedi and loved ones in his personal ship. After years of serving on the front lines and helping the growing Jedi Order combat the Sith's countless advances, the Jedi Master felt that his talents would best be used engaging the Sith head on, even as he knew the core reason for his hunger for combat.
All of Ben's Jedi relatives and girlfriend were right in the thick of this battle, facing the Sith and their demons with all their might, and here he was, trapped on a bridge while advising a seasoned military general on their common enemy's tactics when another Jedi could have done the task just as well.
Nevertheless, he was ordered by all parties to work beside General Orellios and act as a liaison and unspoken bodyguard Garazeb against any possible Sith assassins. As capable a warrior Garazeb might be, the Alliance did not wish to take a chance at any assailants skilled or lucky enough to get within striking distance of the Lasat general. The final requirement of this assignment was for Ben to advise the Lira San force on how to best fight the Sith, which meant he would perform this task to the best of his ability, even while fleetingly wondering if there was an ulterior motive behind this placement related to his relationship with Vestara and everyone's doubts of his judgement concerning her.
But something beyond his worries did not sit well with him, a prickling sensation from the Force that kept him on perpetual edge. Reexamining the feed from the Sith armada and the capital city, he noticed an abnormally high buildup of energy right outside the Royal Palace, and quickly had a few frightening ideas on what this knowledge meant.
Before he could warn anyone, a set of alarms began blaring across the bridge, moments before a nearby refurbished Trade Federation Core Ship under Garazeb's command exploded from a blast that appeared to be moving faster than the speed of sound hit the vessel. The destruction that followed the vaporization immediately generated blinding shockwaves powerful enough to upset the stabilizers for every nearby vessel, especially the Lira San Expeditionary Fleet's flagship.
"Get us back upright in the air and find out what just took out the Jaro Tapal!" Garazeb bellowed to his crew the second his vision started clearing up, before turning towards a disoriented Ben, he growled out, "Don't suppose you'd like to help out, Skywalker?"
"Get, get me to a console." Ben groggily stammered out, struggling to blink away the spots permeating his field of vision. "That blast, I can home in on its exact point of origin at the monarchy's palace and relay the information to our insertion teams. The Sith are using a rare and highly powerful ore for its artillery, and I can track the trace minerals still in the air right back to their source."
Helping Ben to a sensors station, Garazeb warned, "You'd better make it quick, Skywalker. We won't have long before they try to shoot our entire fleet out of the sky!"
1025 Hours
Royal Palace, Central Command
'Let's see if Haxim's collaborators can predict these surprises!' Redhan victoriously reflected as he witnessed his special cannons rip apart another two capital ships in the Alliance of Light's diversionary armada.
Thanking Dician's cult for smuggling half a planet's worth of Agrocite, a scarce ore that was able to enhance the effects of many types of weaponry, and his agents for slicing into old Imperial files to uncover records from the Clone War when the Confederacy utilized the mineral to devastate the Republic liberators for the Mid Rim World of Khorn, he knew this would keep the enemy sufficiently occupied until all VIPs could make their escape. Plus, the devastation he was wreaking on the Jedi's toadies would hopefully grant him a good deal of much-needed favor with Lord Krayt and help accelerate his return to power.
All that remained now was for the Royal Family to make their grand withdrawal alongside Phobar and Malleus's remaining people, and then they could start plotting their appropriate dose of vengeance against all their enemies.
1030 Hours
Dathomir, Allya Mountains
Jedi Praxeum, Main Dormitories
Alora heard the reports of Taron Malicos and his remarkable prowess as a leader and hunter, and he was living up to all the warnings the One Sith's decimated spy network gave on the revered Jedi Master.
Leading the defense against the superior force, even with both YVH droids quickly demolished by Alora's brute strength and being buried underneath several tons of ferrocrete belonging to the dormitories' roofs, Taron and his collection of followers were shifting the fortunes of battle against four-dozen surviving Dark Siders. By their willingness to tear apart their own facilities to divide and decimate the invaders, the Jedi were able to prevent their enemies from using sheer numbers against them and very well might be able to break through the Sith's foundering lines before the hour was over.
And just as irritating for Alora was the Keshiri harlot that was the plaything of the Palpatine Jedi brat a meager handful of footsteps away. The Douwtin originally thought the reports from Vestara of the rebel were grossly exaggerated, since the failure of a Tyro should never have been able to grow such a widespread rebel movement and threat to the Grand Design before the Jedi interfered, even against such superficial neophytes like the Lost Tribe. But somehow, the woman had defied all odds and fought a successful insurgency against her former masters while simultaneously fending off the Jedi before she fell to Edaan's charms and joined up with her one-time sworn enemies.
It was a true shame the Jedi got their hooks into her first, especially since the magenta-skinned woman had been using her skills with two vibro-daggers, her people's forms of combat with a mix of wider known disciplines, and a weak command of the Force to single handedly slit the throats of four Nightbrothers and two Nightsisters. Where she failed in the Force's greater gifts, she more than made up for with her combat prowess and nimble assassin's body, easily able to sidestep most blows while using her enemy's attacks against them to quickly leave them fatally vulnerable.
Well, she would very much enjoy personally killing this weak Keshiri and help drive Edaan right into the Dark Side's waiting arms. Maybe then Lord Krayt would end her humiliating punishment and return to her the proper weapons and garb of a Sith Inquisitor.
Deciding to get her prey's attention in a dramatic and effective fashion, Alora attempted to constrict Adari's throat through the Force, only to find her efforts rebuffed by the thin woman as she utilized her pathetic abilities to block the simple attack. Seeing Adari sneer at her through the frenzy of battle, Alora felt a renewed fury rage its way throughout every fiber of her being, begging to be released against this insignificant worm, and she would give those emotions the desired release.
Seeing a lightsaber belonging to Taron's dead Knights hooked to his belt, Alora knew which weapon would serve her purposes far better than the ridiculous sword she had been using, almost as if it was being held together simply with luck and glue. Grasping a hand towards Taron, she called the blade away from the preoccupied Jedi Master, letting it fly into her waiting grip before immediately igniting the silver lightsaber and discarding the ugly sword.
Before anyone could attempt to stop her, she quickly commanded her way towards her prey and lunged her pilfered lightsaber towards Adari, who avoided the blow by rolling with the momentum of a fierce punch that a Nightbrother was lucky enough to get past her defenses. Trying again to end the enemy's life, Alora repeatedly thrusted the blade into the ground, missing every time against a quicker Adari who scrambled away to a safe distance.
As Adari attempted to gain a fair bit of distance from her pursuer, hiding within a cabin room and shielding her presence in the Force, she knew she needed to figure out her opponent's weaknesses quickly if she hoped to get the drop on her first. Remembering how Alora had blasted a subordinate into a wall earlier for speaking out of turn, the Douwtin obviously had an inflated sense of importance for herself. But she was certainly no slouch or novice either, with each of her attacks, whether with a lightsaber or with the Force, were economical and precise to the exact decimal point.
Recalling how she had gone up against several Sith Sabers with Alora's same skill set and disposition before when she led her early rebellion on Kesh, she already had a good idea how to take her down. And thankfully, she would also have a little extra help from Master Malicos and his clansmen, courtesy of their final secret gifts bestowed upon her mere minutes before the Sith siege began.
Hurriedly swapping out a vibro-dagger with a special vial the Witches prepared for her, she coated her dagger with the liquid before discarding the empty case and pulled out a blaster pistol from her side holster. Hearing Alora's heavy stomps enter the cabin, she knew she would only have one chance to make this gambit work.
Setting the blaster cartridge to overload in twenty seconds, she opened herself to the Force again, and she could all but hear the Sith Inquisitor's evil grin before Alora sliced through the bed that hid the Keshiri.
"Got any last words or requests?" Alora gloatingly asked, not aware of Adari counting down.
Sixteen seconds. Prepared to vault away from her enemy, Adari felt a sense of light-headedness bubble up from her stomach, surprising her while she nearly fell over, and sluggishly bit out, "Not to you, schutta."
Twelve seconds. Charging right at Alora, she barreled millimeters out of the way of the Sith Inquisitor's strike while placing the overloading blaster in an empty blade socket and nicking her in her clothed side, drawing a few small drops from the blow.
The poison, a rarely used concoction the Witches only used on the most rabid Nightsister-trained rancors to put them down mercifully without risking too many of their clansmen, immediately started to kick in, the hulking Sith nearly buckled from its effects as it started to attack her nervous system and nearly caused her to cough up blood right on the spot before losing all feelings in her fingers and dropped her Jedi weapon.
Turning around to face the victorious enemy, the Jedi collaborator made her way to the door, and she held the slain acolyte's lightsaber in one hand, but gripped her stomach in the other hand, almost as if she was about to upchuck herself. Such a gesture confused Alora before sensing something she had not felt in many years, except in the occasional wards and hospitals she kidnapped prospective Sith from.
Recognizing the implications of this discovery, especially considering her looming demise, she hurriedly called out to Lord Krayt, trying to warn him of Adari's condition before feeling a burning sensation in her thing, and turned her head to see a blaster pistol with a countdown of only 1.2 seconds left. Suddenly, her fortunes just evaporated as if they were absorbed into a black hole.
'Aw, damn these Jedi lovers!' She silently whined, cursing everyone for bestowing on her such a disgraceful end before her body was blown into many pounds of charred flesh and singed rags.
Jedi Praxeum Command Center
Krayt felt Alora's final screams in the Force and, from gleanings in the Force, figured out that her arrogance and underestimating her foes was what ultimately led to her demise. He should have expected no less from an impetuous and arrogant brat like her, especially with her disregard for anyone's sound counsel other than her own.
What he did not expect was that Adari Thayn Palpatine would be the one to do it all on her own. Had Nox trained his Inquisitors so poorly, or was the Jedi collaborator that much stronger than his spies originally determined? But what was more perplexing was the final message Alora had tried to convey to him before her life force died out. Was it a last gasp of desperation for survival, or an attempted warning of great importance?
Either way, he now knew who his next target would be before going after Edaan, and it would be a perfect way to draw him towards his waiting grip. But he would not put his diminishing army at risk with this attack, for he felt their numbers slowly shrinking under their foes' remarkable defenses, and they could not afford many more battles with terrible losses if they hoped to win this war.
This time, he would only put himself to the test against several of the Jedi Order's best warriors and leaders, and before the day was over, he would emerge triumphant against them all, especially now that his people had finished downloading all the praxeum's databases, even if they were encrypted for now. All he needed first was to reach out to Lord Zorra and help undermine a few of the Jedi's key defenders.
But before he did finish this mission, he needed to send an irrefutable message to his enemies, one that Lord Snoke was supposed to have done before he was delayed. But if his disciple could not complete his task in time, then the Dread Lord would pick up the slack and execute the only captive Council member currently in his custody.
Of course, he would have preferred to have such an occasion in front of plenty of Jedi and Alliance witnesses to accelerate the demoralization of his enemies across all known worlds, and he had just the means to do so, courtesy of the Retribution and its fleet still maintaining its position in orbit. He briefly noted how he would have to appropriately reward Zorra and his people for holding out against such a vast cast of enemies for so long, if only to reward his Sith's successes and punish failures accordingly.
1040 Hours
Falleen, Capital City
Royal Palace Catacombs
Overhearing the muffled conversation between six enemy soldiers and their commanding officer on the floor above them, Tyria found herself disgusted by their slovenly conduct, even while knowing how such disgraceful behavior only worked for the free galaxy's benefit. Giving hand signals to her assigned squad, silently ordering them to silently eliminate the opposition, the Jedi Master and six Mandalorians and Lasat commandos moved into position.
With the one-hundred-man army finishing to work their way through the palace's underbelly before moving up to the main levels, completing their mission would certainly be full of a diverse array of challenges and surprises, especially with one Sith Lord, his puppet of a king, and their many reserves still in the vicinity. Regrettably, the most immediate problem for the Alliance of Light was the set of Agrocite artillery cannons that were ripping apart the forward force and serving as an effective last line of defense for the Axlan monarchy.
The task of sabotaging those weapons was given to Tyria and her team, which they would be able to begin right after they dealt with the last batch of guards protecting the entrance to the palace's West Wing. According to the schematics Haxim and his spies shared with everyone, the palace's main generators were stationed a few long hallways away from the entrance point, albeit under heavy guard by Redhan's Sovereign Protectors and a few Crimson Nova bounty hunters. If the Agrocite cannons drew power from the palace itself, as unlikely as it might be, then deactivating them would hopefully be a simple matter.
Once the team surrounded both downward exits, one Protector tossed an anesthetic gas grenade specifically tailored for Falleens directly to Tyria, who Force-flung it through the grated windows to the Royal Guards. Waiting for the successive coughing and frantic attempts to escape, the team stormed in and quickly incapacitated every enemy. Moving quickly to stun every guard before they could issue a distress signal, the thirteen men and women quickly scanned through each piece of wired technology, seeding a computer virus into this network that would worm into any adjacent system and then trigger an automatic shutdown upon a single press of a button on Haxim's gauntlet.
Knowing from the lack of alarms or attack by enemy soldiers that none of the infiltration teams had been uncovered for the moment, Tyria analyzed the possibilities of when the Royal Family realized something was amiss in their last stronghold. No one who had survived for all these years as a Sith pawn could have done so without developing a knack for survival and a healthy dose of paranoia. Surely the falling king would have many secondary defensive systems and countless layers of security to protect his base of operations?
Risks and misgivings aside, the Jedi Master and retired Wraith knew the mission was too far along to let doubt eat away at her. She would just have to take a few extra precautions for any number of contingencies her team might encounter. Anyone who interfered in this battle, whether they were Sith or any of their collaborators, would feel the hot and searing edge of her blade, and by the end of the day, this planet would at last be freed from its dark dominion.
1050 Hours
Korriban, Valley of the Dark Lords
Sith Catacombs, Tomb of Ajunta Pall
Ahsoka could hardly believe what she was seeing when witnessing all of Tau's memories, both implanted from Edaan and the clone's growing set of original experiences. This man before her was the great-great-grandson of Emperor Palpatine, and yet he had stayed true to the resurrected Jedi Order, as well as the Light Side of the Force, despite the inner and outer demons that he had dealt with for fifteen years as a Jedi.
She learned all the events that had occurred since her death, starting from the official declaration of the the First Galactic Civil War when the First Death Star was obliterated, to the revelation that Anakin had married Padme Amidala, who had a son and daughter in Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, and the death of Darth Sidious when Vader redeemed himself as Anakin Skywalker and sacrificed his life to save his son's.
She witnessed the eventual end of the First Galactic Civil War by a peace treaty by the New Republic's Chief of State, Ponc Gavrisom, and Imperial Remnant's Supreme Commander, Gilad Pellaeon, nineteen years after the destruction of the Battle of Yavin, and the resurrection of the Jedi Order under Luke, who reformed much of the old Jedi Order's tenets and practices to avoid facing the pitfalls the latter faced in its final decades, news that brought immense joy to Ahsoka's lifting heart.
Sadly, all this good news was overshadowed by learning all about the five-year Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, which killed over 365 trillion beings, half of the growing Jedi Order, and broke the New Republic before it reinvented itself as the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.
But the bad news tragically followed, with the Dark Nest Crisis and the Swarm War that followed which, coincidentally, was the same year Edaan was born, and the Second Galactic Civil War four years later. Aside from nearly tearing the Skywalker-Solo clan apart over absurd political divisions, it triggered the complete fall of Han and Leia Organa Solo's sole surviving son, Jacen Solo, into becoming the Sith Lord Darth Caedus.
From leading his own secret police that interned millions of dissidents, arranging the assassination of a major leader in the nascent secessionist Confederation and the removal of the GA Chief of State to let him take control of the democratic government, murdering Mara Jade Skywalker, Luke's wife, and a leading Jedi Master, and devastating many worlds in his rampage, Caedus quickly became a monster that had to be eliminated by any means necessary. And that means was by sending his own twin sister, Jaina Solo, against him after she studied under the Mandalorians, to assassinate him, quickly ending the Second Galactic Civil War, but sowing the seeds for further conflict between the GA and Jedi when Imperial war criminal was absurdly chosen to be the next Chief of State to try and reunify the galaxy.
Horrifically, the worst was yet to come when Abeloth, a Celestial monstrosity who had ties to the Ones of Mortis, and the Lost Tribe of the Sith, marooned remnant of the Great Hyperspace War who had survived for five millennia, made a dual return to the galaxy, and devastated many worlds, especially Coruscant, before the Jedi Order was shamefully vilified by a ratings-hungry press and Sith agents. The Jedi had spent the last fifteen years working to rebuild its reputation and honor while waging a losing war against the Sith orders that threatened the galaxy.
But through the shroud of the Dark Side had been cast across the galaxy over the last fifteen years, a new light was beginning to grow and take root among many disparate souls, one that originated from Edaan Palpatine when he joined the New Jedi Order and vowed to save Vestara Khai, a Sith Lady and former girlfriend of Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker, from the darkness that consumed her, and save Ben from his oath of vengeance against her.
Throughout the last fourteen years, he honed his skills under the Order's best, including his secret training under his six dead Jedi masters: Tau Koda, Revan, Kreia, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and a repentant Jacen, to become a Jedi prodigy few Force Users had ever reached. And he began building covert alliances and gathering forces from sympathetic elements of the Galactic Alliance, the reformed Galactic Empire, much of the Hutt Grand Council, the Hapes Consortium who had allied with the Jedi under their sympathetic Queen Mother, the Mandalorian clans loyal to Boba Fett, the reborn Jedi Order, even elements of the isolationist Chiss Ascendancy, to rally them all into the Alliance of Light he officially founded less than a month ago.
And now, the galaxy had at last begun to cleanse itself of Sith corruption by waging war against its affiliated cults, marauders, and agents while preparing to assault Korriban and try and crush the One Sith before they could reach their final goal, though Tau had no knowledge of Darth Krayt's endgame. But even more surprising was how, according to the reports Tau had access to, Edaan had been able to reach Vestara and reunite her with Ben, let the two of them reconcile, and allow her to start atoning for her sins. Truly, Edaan was a priceless gem among trillions of regular jewels across the galaxy.
Conversely, Tau could see every one of Ahsoka's memories, from her discovery by the Old Jedi Order by Jedi Council member Plo Koon and her eventual apprenticeship under him ten years later. Under Master Koon, she had developed her natural combat skills with a lightsaber and starfighter, while honing her stealth and espionage abilities from Jedi like Aayla Secura and Tholme, allowing her to help the Jedi in multiple ways.
The Kel Dor and Togruta teen had formed an effective team for over three years, helping win many battles for the Grand Army of the Republic with their diverse skill sets, until the advent of the Outer Rim Sieges, when she was wrongly tried for a terrorist attack on the Coruscant Jedi Temple and expelled from the Jedi Order, dislodging her faith in almost every Jedi and the Republic. Her heartbreak was so great, that she refused a paltry offer by the accusers on the Council to rejoin the Order as a Jedi Knight and struck out on her own before Order Sixty-Six, a decision she later came to deeply regret how she was unable to help any of her friends.
But she refused to give up the fight for the innocent, and her favors and friends from across the galaxy and nascent Empire were able to help many Jedi and political fugitives escape into the Outer Rim and helped form many resistance groups to try and build a rebellion against the Sith-backed government.
Although almost each group was dismantled, her efforts caught the attention of anti-Imperial Senators Bail Organa and Garm Bel Iblis, along with Jedi Master Rahm Kota, where she was invited to join the newly born Rebel Alliance and she quickly completed her training and made a Jedi Knight under Kota's tutelage. However, she quickly uncovered the truth of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader and was sworn to silence to protect the secrets Bail was protecting alongside Obi-Wan and Yoda, while she deeply regretted forming a friendship with Anakin and not warning the Order of his darker tendencies.
To best direct Ahsoka's efforts towards toppling the Empire, Rahm and Garm helped her form a team of mavericks and call themselves the Spectres, allowing the Rebellion to arm itself and make many allies while making small strikes against the Empire to inspire greater acts of defiance. The strategy worked well, until the team's final mission on Korriban where they came face to face with Vader, and dismantled a Shock Drum prototype, but not until it cost them the lives of Ahsoka, Rex, and Kanan Jarrus and, according to Tau's memories, led Ezra into the Dark Side's grip throughout the next few decades.
The knowledge each learnt and the pain they were experiencing, it nearly overwhelmed them before they both cut the bonds for the Force Meld. Deeply breathing, processing all both Light Siders learnt, Ahsoka cried phantom tears before whimpering, "Thank you, Tau Palpatine."
"For what? Exposing you to all this horrendous pain?" Tau brokenly uttered, crying at the trauma Ahsoka went through before meeting her terrible end at Vader's merciless hands and the hypocrisy the Jedi Order of her time was tainted by.
"No. For freeing me of my guilt and sorrow for being unable to finish the fight against the Sith, and for helping me see that the galaxy will soon be in good hands again. Now, I have no regrets, and can pass on to the Netherworld of the Force if I so wish."
"Then I wish you a good rest. You've more than earned it." Tau kindly bade Ahsoka farewell, prepared to depart before she sternly corrected him,
"I said 'if I wish', but I don't want to leave just yet, nor can I afford to. There is still one task I need to help you and the Jedi with before I can finally leave this plane of existence behind." Ahsoka cryptically answered. "It involves your fight against Abeloth once she fully revives herself. You are planning to give the Mortis Dagger to the Jedi and prepare for her resurrection, but there is still so much you don't understand about her. In that regard, I might be able to help by giving you a bit of a history lesson on her that the Killiks couldn't provide on their own."
That caught Tau's complete attention, and he intently nodded, "Well, consider my interest fully piqued."
1100 Hours
Horuset System, In Orbit Above Korriban
Aboard the Lambda-class Shuttle Orion
Wyyrlok felt their minds, the profane Jedi-loyal Imperials that dared pollute the Horuset System with their presence and wished the Sith could be allowed to help eradicate the spies. However, Lord Krayt, relying on his keen and pragmatic mind, saw fit to keep them alive a little while longer to prove of greater benefit to the human Sith's great vision.
Still, the Chagrian, in his role as Voice of the Sith and Krayt's trusted right hand, had his doubts about this strategy. If the enemy agents managed to learn even hints of the final phase of the Grand Design and relay them to their masters before they were slain, then the Dread Lord's plans could very well be undone right then and there. Which was why he was ordered back to Korriban to finalize the evacuation preparations and ensure no loose ends were left behind when all but the most essential Sith Lords, their diverse range of projects, and their remaining students were evacuated to safer havens.
And there was the matter of the traitor and whatever accomplices that still infested their headquarters. Nox might have narrowed down the list of suspects to ten, but the hunt was still moving too slowly for Wyyrlok's liking. The Iteration might have made a good measure of progress in reviving Ochi, but there was still too much left to chance regarding the seditionists, since the longer they remained free, the longer they had to try and undo more of the Sith's plans and put more of their allies and followers at risk.
Interrupting his thoughts was a sudden and blinding surge in the Force, one reeking of the Light Side with such magnitude that Wyyrlok had not felt before except in Luke Skywalker and his most powerful followers, and it was deep underneath Korriban's surface within one of the ancient tombs.
Immediately reaching out to try and decipher who or what was spreading such vile energies, he found his attempts blocked by the same light who took Wyyrlok's mind into some sort of astral pain. Unexpectedly, the light took the form of a green-and-white colored condor, and it spoke in a woman's ethereal voice, warning him, 'Do not interfere, disciple of the Son. This must be done to prevent the final ascendance of the Mother.'
Subsequently pushed back into his corporeal form, the Sith Lord found himself panting and sweating profusely from the sheer power he just witnessed. Working to establish secure communications with the citadel and personally lead the team to investigate this bright disturbance, Wyyrlok tried to calculate these troubling implications for the Sith's overall strategy, even as he realized whoever or whatever unleashed that energy likely had ties to the Ones.
By the Dark, what was happening to all the Sith's carefully orchestrated plans and vast advantages in this war, and what power did this new and mysterious foe of theirs just unleash on the galaxy?
1110 Hours
Shedu Maad, Jedi Temple
Within the Council Chambers
Working to prepare every Jedi in the Temple for Master Skywalker's life saving operation at dawn tomorrow while overseeing their efforts across the galaxy, the Council, the Order's other senior members, and their non-Jedi allies were nearly knocked out by the surge of Light Side energy that screamed across the galaxy barely ten minutes earlier.
Whoever or whatever created this surge was unrecognizable to all, and the galaxy could hardly afford any more potential enemies at this critical turning point, but that was hardly the only concern of the Council. Such a concentration of power had not been felt by many for many years, especially one not of the Dark Side, and it rattled many with the timing of this event. Its exposure confused many, and worried far more of the intentions of this new and mysterious power.
But that was not the only matter on Kyle's mind. He knew of the many Jedi teams moving across the Outer Rim and Chiss Space to each of their intended battlefronts, and if they made a single misstep now, each Jedi-Alliance task force could suffer unsustainable casualties for their missions. Not to mention how, if these brushfires dragged out for too long, then the public's currently strong support for the anti-Sith war effort could start being undermined by any conceivable method, whether through overt or covert methods by any manner of possible enemy.
On the topic of potential threats, Kyle continued to replay the message implanted within his mind by a being he never thought could or should have ever been created and was deeply troubled by the implications of that conversation.
Nine Minutes Ago, Within Kyle Katarn's Subconsciousness
Finding himself trapped within a mental landscape, with the mindscape resembling an old Imperial-styled interrogation room, Kyle struggled in vain against the firm restraints holding him down on a flat table.
Breaking through the dark cell, a familiar voice, one radiating Light Side energy, serenely echoed "Kyle…"
"Edaan?" Kyle glanced around, beginning to feel a pit of dread form in his core. "What's going on?"
"I am not Edaan Palpatine. But I don't have much time; I need you to hear my warnings, without any interruptions." The voice explained, before the man materialized, generating a man with a near perfect resemblance to Edaan, but without the many small scars marking his face. "My name is Tau Palpatine, and I am a clone of your former Apprentice created by the One Sith. But I have vital and urgent information for you and the Alliance of Light, information that I and a new friend of mine are trusting you, and you alone with, until the time is right."
Grasping the implications of the Sith successfully cloning him so quickly and realizing how they did so with Edaan's severed hand that Phasma provided them, Kyle would have interrupted Tau, if he could get his mouth to work. But another presence was here, one that was the source of the Light Side power, and it was holding the Grand Master in place and silence.
Apologetically nodding, Tau reminded him, "I did say I needed no interruptions for this talk, and while I have intel for you on the One Sith's plans and resources, Miss Tano here has crucial knowledge on Abeloth that I think the Jedi Order needs to know about. Now, like I said before, listen and hear what we need to say."
Back in the Present
Hearing from Tau on how he and his newfound disillusioned friends were preparing to betray the One Sith, with a master assassin, her daughter, and three assassin droids among them, all about to desert Korriban while Tau risking his life as a double agent on the Jedi's behalf. With the Aphra group bringing with them not only a data library loaded with dozens of holobooks of vital Sith-related information, but they managed to steal the Mortis Dagger from Darth Krayt's personal chambers, a feat worthy of countless accolades if they could safely make it to Alliance-held territory.
But far more astonishing was how Tau had befriended and allied with the ghost of Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano, sharing knowledge, and vowing to work together to truly kill Abeloth once she fully resurrected.
With the Torguta bearing a portion of the Daughter's life force, a member of the Ones and a Celestial that was the embodiment of the Light Side, having her aid would be crucial if Abeloth could return in this generation. And to add to the mind-blowing revelations was how Ahsoka claimed someone in the One Sith's ranks carried the Son's last surviving bit of Dark Side essence as his successor, which implied that if the galaxy wanted to be rid of the Mother, then they needed to keep this Sith alive, in accordance with the legends the Killiks instructed Raynar Thul and his team to when they traveled to the Thuruht hive in the Wild Space's Reo System.
If this information was genuine, and every instinct Kyle honed from his mercenary and Jedi discipline screamed it was, then Alliance leadership needed to know of all these opportunities to capitalize on every chance about to be laid right before the Alliance, never mind ensure the safe passage of the defectors and their treasures while searching for the Son's chosen heir.
The only downside to acquiring all this essential information was that Kyle was told to keep it to himself until the war moved away from known space, and the threats that Tau would wipe their conversation clear from his mind, divulge it to every Jedi and their rival Force traditions, and auction the Mortis Dagger off to the highest bidder. Although he was doubtful of the last two claims, he would not take the risks of calling the turncoat's threat unless the risks grew too great.
Thankfully, Kyle had a way to ensure the Jedi Order would know of this knowledge if anything should happen to him. Tau might have threatened him to avoid talking to anyone, but there was nothing said against writing it down and keeping it safe until the need arose.
1130 Hours
Hyperspace, En Route to Gargon System
Aboard the Mandator
"Exiting hyperspace in sixty seconds, Sir." The navigations officer alerted Drikl, who brusquely nodded before examining his tactical feed one final time before his Imperial fleet entered the fray. With his personal fleet of five modern Star Destroyers and two older Interdictor-class Star Destroyers, and twelve refurbished capital ships, from Secutor-class Star Destroyers to Recusant-class Light Destroyers and Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruisers, and even Rebellion-era Mon Calamari warships, each equipped with their Metal-Crystal Phase Shifters ready to come to the aid of Belok and his maniacal Neo Death Watch disciples, any normal and sane foe would flee or capitulate in the face of such firepower.
But regrettably, the enemies Drikl and his collaborators were up against were anything but normal or sane. With the diverse set of rival powers arrayed against him, Belok, and their Sith masters, the entire combat zone was up for grabs. With Hutts, Fel-loyal Imperials, Jedi strike teams, and the Mandalorian Protectors working together, every Sith asset needed to be prepared for any contingency that might emerge in this maddening war.
Thankfully for the One Sith, the Alliance of Light made a fatal error in their attack on the Neo Death Watch's inept leadership, by sending several of their best leaders and military minds after a peon of Belok's caliber, they left themselves vulnerable to a well-planned ambush, just as Drikl and Lord Wyyrlok devised before the Chagrian Sith departed to follow Lord Krayt's orders.
Seeing the enemy fleet of four Chelandion-class Warships, two Victory III-class Star Destroyers, two Turbulent-class Star Destroyers, three Keldabe-class Battheships, and two Crusader-class Corvettes and their escorts and fighters attacking the Indomitable, Drikl knew their plan and ultimate weapons would work perfectly against these insipid fools, and this battle would soon be open and shut. Even the Alliance's insipid plan of landing dropships to the planet of Gargon to liberate the spice world would be crushed once the space battle was quickly wrapped up, and the Sith would have a new batch of prisoners to interrogate and prolong this Mandalorian campaign.
But before the rogue Moff could order his force to power up all their weaponry, a sensor's officer warned him, "Sir, sensors have just picked up several dozen rogue signatures moving up against our flanks. They're less than thirty klicks away and closing fast."
"Give me a visual." Drikl curtly ordered the officer, quickly receiving visual confirmation, seeing the familiar and hated silhouettes of fifteen Jedi StealthXs, along with forty Mandalorian starfighters of four different designs flying right towards the rogue Imperial fleet, causing the ex-Moff to clench his jaw in frustration.
When would those so-called "keepers of the peace" finally learn that their desperate meddling only accelerated the terrible scenarios they fought against so hard and eventually lead to their destruction? Well, if they would not get the message on their own, then Drikl would enjoy teaching them another painful lesson on their irrelevance.
Turning towards his comms officer, he was prepared to order the fighters and all available turrets to target the small batch of interlopers before several proximity alarms went off, and Drikl impatiently grunted out, "What now?!"
"Multiple hyperspace signatures are exiting hyperspace across four different vectors, and they're all directed right at us, Sir!" A tactical officer called out. "Sensors have identified them as belonging to enemy attack groups, one each originating from the Fenel, Concord Dawn, Zanbar, and Jakelia ambushes."
Gritting his teeth behind closed lips, Drikl observed the enemy fleets revert to realspace a few dozen kilometers away from his fleet, and he felt his heart plummet at seeing the large numbers arrayed against him. With each force bringing five capital ships, three carriers, and seven corvettes, and undoubtedly their fair share of Jedi "advisors" and commandos, the diverse array of enemies just stole the upper hand in this battle. Difficult odds, but not impossible for a commander of Drikl Lecersen's capabilities.
Still, something was unusual about this attack, and Drikl decided to make a snap judgment call by barking an order at the helmsmen, "Take evasive action!" His call was too late, however, as several severe explosions could be heard and felt throughout the Mandator's bridge, and the rogue Imperial knew the Jedi had already made their first move against him.
"Sir, our Metal-Crystal Phase Shifters… they've all been destroyed." A lieutenant petrifyingly informed an infuriated Drikl.
"Aboard our ship?" He irritably guessed.
"On every vessel aside from the Converter and Harrower." The woman anxiously corrected him, fearing an outright execution by the Moff while she continued, "The Jedi and Mandalorians launched a coordinated assault of shadow bombs and ion missiles to obliterate them all. They knew exactly where the weapons were positioned on each ship and struck before withdrawing just out of firing range."
Suddenly, the disgraced and disadvantaged Moff wished there were a few Sith accompanying him for this battle to assist in countering their fated enemies' infernal and seemingly boundless retinue of tricks.
1140 Hours
Within the Kharmort's Miasma Nebula, Vagar Praxut
Eskarrh, Inside the Chiss Garrison
"Huh." Kral simply said, dumbstruck at the information bombshell Jan, Vurawn, and Fooraki had just delivered to the Alliance of Light joint leadership, coupled with the one Chief of State Yimmon and Grand Master Katarn provided not even an hour ago, and no one else could say anything else to counter such a simple response.
With the Ascendancy throwing its full weight behind this unconventional coalition while building up its own armed forces and investigating the evidence of treason permeating the Chiss government's highest ranks, they would soon have the strength they needed to take the Vagaari down for good and learn the full scope of their complicity for the Sith.
Unfortunately, the Alliance-Chiss pact knew their enemies within the Unknown Regions and their benefactors would have little choice but to bring this covert war right into the open, with the consequences up to everyone's imagination. And that said nothing for the 'ethical overseers' the Ascendancy would be sending and their untold negative impact on their future battle strategies while potentially emboldening the raiders. Still, the alternative of being expelled from the Chiss's territories was appealing to none, so they would figure out a way to make this adjustment work for both parties.
Then there was the other matter, the one of Zonama Sekot and the Sith potentially hunting for it, if Edaan's visions and the warnings the Jedi's newest alleged ally within the One Sith's ranks both gave Grand Master Katarn through a telepathic call. Still, even the specter of the Yuuzhan Vong and their seed world frightened every sane being, and whatever the Sith might be seeking it for could only belong to the minds of fanatical lunatics.
But with Vurawn's information on the Vagaari and their clients leading expeditions into uncharted sections of the Unknown Regions, enough pieces fit for the purported claims on the Sith's interest in the world and its boundless capabilities. The only questions that remained was what the allied powers would do with this intelligence and how quickly they could attain any desirable results.
Interrupting the session, a Chiss ensign entered the meeting, apologetically nodding towards the Alliance figures before whispering something to Fooraki, catching the Mid Admiral's full attention with his widened eyes and clenched jaw before the lower-ranked officer handed a questis to him, who quietly thanked the ensign before politely dismissing her.
The moment the chambers door closed behind the ensign, Fooraki anxiously read through the message before gravely explaining, "I apologize for the interruption, but we've just received word from Csilla that will greatly complicate our efforts. Not thirty minutes ago, there were a series of bombings enacted throughout our capital world and each world that's the headquarters of one of the Six Ruling Families.
"How did this happen?" "What are the casualties?" "Is there any assistance or relief efforts we can provide?" Several voices blurted out at once before Fooraki held up a closed fist to gesture for silence from everyone.
"The entire Ascendancy has just gone into a complete and indefinite lockdown, and they're putting the entire Defense Force on its highest state of alert, with traffic stopped to the bare minimum, but that's not the worst of it. The last report we received was that several untraceable calls were made from Cssplar's government district, among many of its highest levels."
"Then I guess we're on our own throughout this crisis." Kyp irritably mused. "Unless they're willing to share a few assets alongside us and allow a few of our people to assist the hunt, that is. We might be able to find a few clues that might escape the notice of your secret police and other private investigators."
"Then the Ascendancy's ahead of you on both of those points, Master Durron." Vurawn clarified. "Both the Supreme Admiral and Supreme General just authorized seven of their most trusted and reliable battle groups to form a covert rapid-response fleet and aid our efforts. That is, provided each of your organizations pull your fair, unofficial, mind you, share of the weight in the ensuing investigation of all suspected subversives."
"We can easily do that." Jan wholeheartedly agreed, with the rest of the leadership concurring with the Galactic Alliance black-ops general.
1145 Hours
Korriban, Sith Catacombs
Darth Krayt's Citadel, Within Nala Se's Laboratory
"I beg your pardon, Lord Wyyrlok?" Nala incredulously asked after being given her latest batch of orders. "I still have several series of tests to perform on Task Force 99's psychological states, and then implanting their control chips. Besides, I was given three more days before the surgery was even set to begin, by Lord Krayt, no less."
"You now have until tomorrow evening to begin the procedure on all seven clones, or you and all your experiments will be relocated to one of our secondary facilities." Wyyrlok brusquely commanded. "Your work may be vital to our contingencies, but our evacuation efforts must be completed long before the Jedi and Alliance send their first recon teams for their invasion. And with events moving outside our control, we now have to take further precautions to ensure our survival."
Pausing, almost considering a secondary concern, the Chagrian cautiously asked the Kaminoan, "What is the condition of the Iteration? Have there been any anomalies in his mental or physical state?"
"I believe he had resumed his task of resuscitating Ochi about half an hour ago. It is past his previous rest period." Nala uncomprehendingly recalled, hastily adding, "He is performing above all expectations in his work, and you should expect to have one of your best agents fit for duty again in eight days' time, considering the two days he will need to be given a thorough examination."
"That may be, but what of his hosts, Doctor Se?" Nox boldly interjected himself into the conversation, barging into the doctor's lab. "What has our resident and unusual clone said or implied about his gracious hosts in the Aphra family?"
"Nothing that has made it to my attention, Lord Nox." The cloner skeptically answered before suspiciously inquiring, "What exactly are you implying here? And I think it would be best for everyone if you speak frankly from here on out, since everyone here is so strapped for time."
Looking at Wyyrlok and ignoring Nala, the aged human handed him a datapad with the files of ten different profile pictures, and summarized, "I've narrowed down the list of suspects who poisoned Ochi to ten of our proxies or members of our support staff, and two of them are Doctor Aphra's wife and their daughter, young Chelli."
"Your evidence for these claims, Nox?" Wyyrlok intently reminded him. "We cannot afford to risk letting our grip on the valued Doctor Aphra start to slip away without absolute proof of such accusations."
"Lona Aphra's among the few non-Sith at our disposal that possess the capabilities to take on and defeat our top assassin in a straight up fight and is a master of poisons. And don't forget how her daughter is a savant with all manner of technology and history and can hack into virtually any system." Nox answered. "My final list contains all the remaining people that remain unaccounted from when the Jedi made their incursion on the system."
Wyyrlok, analyzing the data right before him, nodded his agreement before giving voice to his deep suspicions, surprising both master cloner and Sith Inquisitor with his next command, "Then perhaps it is best if we conduct a test with the Iteration as well, and determine whether his loyalties still lie with us, or if his programming has been tainted by interference from these traitors."
Within Hangar Four
Aboard the Bellicose-class heavy lifter Ark Angel
"So, old friend, this is the ship in which we will make our true and hopefully everlasting mark on the galaxy." 0-0-0's hologram marveled to BT-1 after the astromech droid rudely dismissed the maintenance droids right after they finished fueling and furnishing their friends' future home. "It may not be rather aesthetically pleasing as most organics would prefer it, but its role as a Sith infiltrator command ship will serve our clients' needs quite well. And the digital goodies installed inside will keep them appropriately entertained throughout all our travels."
Hearing the murderous and dome-shaped droid rebuke 0-0-0 on how they were not free yet and should not discuss their future while in the open, the protocol droid calmly reassured BT-1, "Fret not, for this ship's jamming field surpasses all predictions and is undetectable. All our conversations will be safe from any prying ears, and our cargo will be safe until its delivery."
"Now all that is needed is for us to get our clients' aboard, and then we are all off to bigger and better things. Oh, the experiences we will undertake and knowledge I can learn!" 0-0-0 rejoiced before BT-1 shut off his holoprojector, blowing a raspberry at his friend's overeager nature. Only a fool would consider their escape a sure thing, especially with the Sith closing in on the Aphras and beginning to suspect Tau's duplicity.
The diminutive droid needed to warn his patrons and have them make their escape long before the Sith could move against them. Two days, that was likely all they had left until they were uncovered if Beetee's calculations were accurate, and even that prediction was dubious. Either way, 0-0-0 needed to finish his work with Jaing Skirata and get him combat ready soon, or the old Null ARC Trooper would be more of a hindrance than an asset for the grand desertion.
1150 Hours
Dathomir, Allya Mountains
Jedi Praxeum, Main Hangar Bay
So far, the Sith and their allies were proving to be more of a nuisance than a threat to Edaan and Jaina. Having been trained by the greatest Jedi in generations and facing off against the greatest evils to plague the galaxy in centuries, the two Jedi prodigies found a localized threat like Nightsisters and their servants to be child's play when arrayed against the Sith and Yuuzhan Vong.
Edaan was a blur of activity across the hangar, using his affinity for the more aggressive forms of Lightsaber combat to stay on the offensive against the inhabitants of Dathomir and their Sith leaders and not give them a moment's rest from his attacks. His economical and fierce strategies against his foes, utilizing the form of Niman in conjunction with the variant form of Djem So to continue eliminating his enemies one after another, losing count after twenty beasts and sentients.
And Edaan's odds were certainly better than the One Sith's when remembering how he was able to multitask and be completely aware of his surroundings in battle, utilizing the Force in conjunction with his lightsaber to keep many of his enemies off-balance and vulnerable to his quick and precise attacks.
Still, as proficient as Edaan might be, Jaina, a Jedi Master and fighter pilot about three decades his senior, was in a class of her own. Able to dispatch her enemies with hardly any effort and without enduring any chinks in her armor while she had destroyed thirty-five dark Dathomirians and Sith-controlled beasts throughout this siege, even the three Rancors controlled by the Nightsisters were hesitant to engage the lethal woman directly.
Personal differences aside, the two Jedi were a highly effective team, and they were close to driving out or dispatching the last of the invaders, before the attacks suddenly ceased right when a dark wave of power rolled over the hanger, nearly giving the duo whiplash from the blast's sheer force.
"You have fought valiantly, honored Jedi, but it has all been in vain." Krayt began, speaking through the Force into the minds of everyone that was still in the praxeum's vicinity. "I will soon have the last of many prizes I seek here, and then my fleet and I will raze this temple to the ground before I leave this world for now."
Pausing for a moment, Krayt took the moment to address Edaan, "Jedi Knight Edaan Palpatine, I now speak directly to you. I have something you cherish; someone you vowed to love and protect above all others." With an image of a bruised and battered Adari on her knees before Krayt and his disciples just outside the praxeum's command center flashing across Edaan's mind, the Jedi's heart nearly jumped to his throat, and he staggered back from the overwhelming fear permeating through his whole being. "If you wish to ever see her again alive and free, you will come to face me, and come alone. Attempt any form of treachery or interference, then simply remember that I have no use for her in my Grand Design."
"You have ten minutes before you lose your wife forever. Make your decision quickly." Krayt finished before breaking the connection, leaving a hyperventilating Edaan to try and control his erratic heartbeat, unaware of the enemy fleeting the area and Jaina's frantic attempts to rouse him from his devastated state.
"He has her." Edaan terrifyingly whispered to Jaina, barely aware of her hands on his shoulders. "Krayt has Adari in front of the central building, and if I don't face him in ten minutes, alone, he'll kill her."
Aware of the endless contradictions from such an ultimatum, Jaina took command of the situation, calmly promised Edaan, "We're going to get her back. I just need to make a few preparations to counter Krayt's army."
"Didn't you hear me?! If anyone else tries anything-" Edaan frantically tried.
"I'll lead the rescue. All you have to do is keep Krayt occupied for as long as you can." Jaina firmly answered, sympathetically adding, "You're not going to lose your wife. Just treat this as another hostage situation and keep a level head.
"I'd tell you more, but the less you know this time around, the better." She slyly added.
"Okay. Okay." Edaan breathed, remembering his Jedi calming exercises to channel his turmoil into rescuing his soulmate. Firmly staring at the Jedi Council member, he warned her, "I'll get right to the main hall. You do whatever you need to do to help me, just deliver on your plan, or we'll all regret whatever comes next."
After Edaan began bolting towards the great hall, Jaina whispered under her breath, "May the Force and your gods be with you in this one, Edaan Palpatine."
Well, I think this is a sufficient place to end the chapter! What did you all think? Do you think the chapter's layout made sense, and I included enough for each segment, especially the battles, and the changes to Ahsoka's character? I wondered about that, and I think I'll ask a few friends to check it out before I publish it. I hope you all enjoy the work, as it was a great labor of love for me to write. And the changes to Ahsoka was a spontaneous but practical move, as I don't think her being Anakin's apprentice works well in the Legends timeline, and her character left a lot to be desired, IMO, especially in the final four episodes of TCW. So, I decided to go my own route for her character this time around and will use her a great deal in the works to come. But how I plan to do so will be a mystery for you until the time is right.
So, how are you all doing on this hot evening of Friday, July 8, 2022? I'm doing well, as tonight's my last night in Florida, and I start heading home tomorrow for work next week. I had a great time with my grandparents, and I hope to see them again around Christmas, as I always have a great time with them. I've also been reading a lot over the week, as I finished the book on the presidential campaign manager, and then plowed through Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation in a few days. I started on Kushiel's Mercy today, and it's a sensual, court intrigue, and historical fiction masterpiece. Hopefully I can finish that tomorrow and get started on another Star Wars legends book. Well, I'd best get this chapter to my friends for their analysis, and then I hope to publish it in a few days. Just under ten chapters to go, and this story will be complete! Man, so much time's gone since I started this story, and I have so much more to write. Anyway, may God be with us all in these dark times, especially with all the mad shooters rampaging across the globe and political madness, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
