WOW! This chapter is perhaps one of the longest I've ever written. Ouch!

However, I will warn you now; this is not a chapter with much action-that is to say, it focuses mainly on story building, backstory, and dialogue. However, I feel it does a great job of setting up the direction for the next dozen or so chapters. By the end of this chapter, you will better understand what mission Asher Victus, his wife, and their collection of survivors are preparing for, the mission so important that they sought out Cal Kestis to investigate the alleged Sith Killer artifact mentioned in Chapter III. So, enjoy, and hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, featuring a return to our stars, the characters from Fallen Order.

RECOMMENDED STORIES BY KENTH VICTUS:

Mass Effect: Every Day After (Complete)

Mass Effect 4: Vindication (In-Progress)

Gates of Terabithia (Complete)

Star Wars: Jedi Wasteland (Complete)

Chapter VI: The Gathering

Location: Undisclosed Coordinates, Wild Space (14 BBY)

To anyone else, it would have been a most impressive sight, he confessed. Though relics and ghosts of a war long-since fought—and lost—the forty-seven Venator-Class Star Destroyers gleamed under the light of an aging red giant that distorted their silver-and-blue-painted hulls as they hung in orbit around a large blue-green planet. Around these ships floated nearly two hundred other vessels of varying size, including sixty Acclamator-Class Assault Ships, Eighty ex-Trade Federation Lucrehulk-Class Battleships, a pair of Providence-Class Dreadnaughts, and four Quasar Fire-Class Carriers hijacked from the Galactic Empire's Star Fleet, floated throughout the formation of the ever-growing fleets. Ships that had once hunted one another relentlessly throughout the known galaxy now hung there, suspended in the depths of deep space, perfectly at peace and supporting one another as required.

Yes, it would be an extraordinary, perhaps even exciting, sight to anyone else who might stumble across the gathering of ships (provided they survived the buzz of the fleet's protective fighter screen long enough to enjoy it), but to Jedi Knight Asher Victus, the sight represented the greatest failure of the Jedi Order he'd so adamantly devoted his life to.

Sitting in the copilot seat of the Consular-Class Cruiser that bore a blue-and-silver paint scheme similar to the ships before him, he was still contemplating those failures when a pair of ARC-170 fighters buzzed by overhead. Returning his attention, thus, to the here and now, Asher watched as the two ships, now joined by a single yellow-and-chrome N-1 Naboo Starfighter, looped around back towards him, their S-Foils now opening into attack position.

"Attention, crew of the Raven's Claw: this is the Perseverance, of the Galactic Republic Navy. You have entered restricted space; you'll be afforded thirty seconds to transmit your clearance code or you will be fired upon."

To Asher's left, Pax, his best friend, was already at work transmitting the requested codes even as he responded to the Perseverance's hails.

"This is Jedi Knight Pax Starstone, Second-Mate of the Raven's Claw. Clearance codes have been transmitted; we request permission to dock with the Perseverance."

For several moments, his words were met with naught but silence. As Pax decreased their speed, the three fighters had now taken up positions around them. The two ARC-170s were visible beyond either side of the cockpit, and though he couldn't see it, sensors showed the N-1 had taken up position directly to their aft.

"Clearance Code authenticated, Raven's Claw. You have permission to dock with the Perseverance—welcome home, Master Jedi."

"Why?" Tali asked, leaning in suddenly to kiss her husband's cheek before turning to ruffle Pax's black hair affectionately. "Does everyone always address us as 'Master Jedi'; there isn't a single Jedi Master aboard this ship."

"I'm sorry, General." Commander Tactus answered with a shrug as he took his own seat in the cockpit, his white-and-violet armor gleaming even in the low lighting. "I wish I could answer."

"Civilians rarely understand the internal structure of the Order." Asher explained as the foremost Venator's dorsal hanger began to open its maw. "To them, anyone not sporting a Padawan's braid is a Jedi Master."

"Ash is right." Pax added, not looking up from the task at hand. "Our powers both frighten and awe the average person; the last thing they want to do is inadvertently disrespect or offend someone who can snap their neck without moving even a single muscle."

A soft, almost muzzled growl responded, and again, Asher needn't turn about to recognize the final member of their crew.

"Of course we'd never do that, Hawyya." Asher answered the elderly Wookie. "Not without just cause and only then as a last resort, at any rate. But the average citizen doesn't know that, especially after the reign of terror Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress enjoyed during the war."

"If I may, Generals." Tactus added in his usual, calm voice. "It doesn't help that Count Dooku was once a Jedi, himself."

"He's right; Dooku's status as a former Jedi is both the reason he gained so many followers during his secession campaign and the Jedi lost so much of the public's trust."

Tali sighed as Asher finished speaking. "Even now, five years later, it still astounds me just how complete the Revenge of the Sith truly was."

A wave of annoyance washed over him, but Asher merely allowed it to exit on his breath and chose not to dwell on it. If Tali had sensed it, she gave no acknowledgment of it.

This was a conversation they'd had countless times since that fateful day, five years ago. They had, at various lengths, discussed, studied, and debated the plot that had toppled the Jedi Order and millennia of progress and diplomacy. Alas, as it was a conversation they'd had many times, it was not a conversation they'd never finished.

Not properly.

"Perfect? No. Few things in this galaxy are truly perfect." Asher countered. "Absolute, however? Oh yes, as absolute as traps come."

Another low roar, almost a grumble, responded to his words, and again Asher found himself in agreement. Tali and Pax, now, seemed dumbstruck as they both turned to stare at him.

"What?"

"You actually feel the Order deserved Order 66 and the Purge that followed."

For what felt like years, he didn't respond. Instead, the Jedi mulled over the answer that was to come. Prior to the Clone Wars, he'd spent much of his apprenticeship with the Jedi in the Archives, studying under Madame Jocasta Nu. A book worm in every sense of the definition, he'd been so focused on peace and history that he'd nearly failed his training altogether, having been adamant that his lightsaber was no weapon, that any Jedi who engaged in combat, in any form, was wrong.

It wasn't one of the true seven Forms of Lightsaber Combat, true. However, Form Zero, it was commonly called-half-mockery, part-contempt, part-respect—was the principle of some of the Order's more pacifistic members that focused on knowing when not to draw one's saber.

Asher had, alas, taken it beyond the extreme.

And then he had met the woman who would become both a mother and his master, and she had taught him the truth of the matter. From one of the Order's top ten swordsmen, he himself had become an elite swordsman himself. Looking back, he had always expected those days of ridicule by his fellow apprentices (and even some of his masters) to be the most trying days of his life.

Then he'd gone to Geonosis. Then the Clone Wars had begun. The galaxy burned with the rage of warfare. Yet, even as the Republic was forced to cede system after system, he'd refused an officer's commission from the Galactic Senate of the Republic, and had even, when they ordered him to take a battalion of clone troopers to scout possible Separatist activity on the remote desert world of Jakku, defied the direct orders of the Jedi High Council.

"With respect, Master Windu, you can shove that order out of the nearest airlock; I'm a Jedi Knight, not a solider."

Those words, spoken by a child pretending to be a man, still echoed in his ears. He'd fully expected to be expelled for his defiance. However, Master Yoda had seemed gentle and understanding. Master Koon had asked why he refused, and he'd explained his beliefs to them, then.

As the war progressed, some of his fellow Jedi questioned him, but he never explained himself. Not to them. Perhaps, in hindsight, he should have, though he doubted that it would have made any real difference. However, his refusal to lead troops, his singular focus on missions of peace, investigation, democracy, and other mandates he felt followed the code, had alienated him from most of the Order, most of whom felt his military knowledge and skills with a lightsaber could've turned the tide of more than one battle.

As the Raven's Claw began its descent into the Perseverance's primary hanger bay, he turned to his wife, and for but a moment, he smiled.

Tali had never questioned him. She had never judged him or treated him differently. It had been their one major ideological difference; in all the years they'd known one another it had been the one major disagreement amongst them. However, even as she herself had risen to command of the elite 20th Clone Regiment, a group of one thousand clone troopers responsible for missions ranging from simple reconnaissance to supporting civilian governments and law enforcement agencies on contested worlds, she had always valued his insight and did all she could to help him.

And it was the one secret he'd never shared with her. His reasoning, left for only the leaders of the Order itself.

Slowly, he nodded. "I do. It's regrettable, of course, but I do agree with Hawyya."

"Why?!"

Both Pax and Tali seemed outraged. Asher, however, shrugged his shoulders, standing his ground.

"Why not?"

"I beg your pardon?" Pax asked. Asher, in turn, repeated himself.

"Why not? I mean—have either of you ever questioned the morality of it all?"

"Th—the morality?"

His answer, however, was made to pause as the ship at last touched down. Pax and Asher each momentarily busied themselves with completing their standard post-flight power down of the ship. Once finished, the group of five made to exit the ship.

In the hanger beyond, it was business as usual. A combination of sentient beings and reprogrammed Confederacy droids went about their assigned tasks, no one paying much mind to any of the newcomers. The ship's command staff, as Asher knew too well, had done an outstanding job of ensuring the highest of discipline among the ship's crew.

"Again; have neither of you never questioned the morality of it all?"

"What do you mean, Asher?"

"A Jedi Master, for reasons we never did confirm, commissioned the Kaminoans to create millions of men for one purpose; to fight and die for a Republic that didn't even know they existed until just before most of them died. I—life is precious, it is holy, created by the Force. Yet a Jedi Master had the thought of creating millions of clones for but one purpose; to die. And no, the Council did not know about it at first, but when they did discover it, they were alright with it. They approved it, however grudgingly it might have been. The Jedi Council, the greatest and wisest members of the Order, agreed that this was something we should do. I—no offense, Commander." He paused, turning to look at the clone trooper as they continued across the hanger. "The Jedi Order is the reason the clones were created, the reason they existed; we had a greater purpose to them, to do right by them.

"Master Yoda used to say "Respect life in all its forms, a Jedi does. From the smallest insect to the greatest predator, important, all life is. Yet, we created enough clones to populate an entire planet, and where's our respect for them? Or do you mean to say that their lives don't matter because war is what they were created for?"

"I'm not saying that, Love—"

"You said that the Clone Wars, this so-called Revenge of the Sith, was perfect, did you not?"

"I did."

"How?" Asher asked. "How was it perfect?"

"We were put into a situation we could not win."

"Why couldn't we?"

"Well, by fighting, our remaining Jedi were spread thin, and after three years of warfare, our numbers were not only spread thin, but also decimated."

"And had we not fought?"

"Public opinion would have turned against us. We'd have lost the support of the public and, likely, the Galactic Senate as well; it would have been much easier for Palpatine to—"

"You're wrong."

"I am."

"Just so."

"How?"

"Things were confusing in the days and weeks after the Senate voted Chancellor Palpatine the right to Emergency War Powers."

"Okay?"

"Just before the Office of the Supreme Chancellor seized editorial control of the Holonet, the day after the First Battle of Geonosis, the HoloNet published a poll, a poll that disappeared days later."

"What did it say?"

"Sixty-five percent of the Republic's citizens opposed the war. In fact, the war didn't gain majority favoring until after the first year, when the power stations on Coruscant were bombed. What's more—a similar poll taken among member worlds of the Confederacy of Independent Systems showed that fifty-nine percent of the Confederacy's citizens opposed open warfare. Again, that only changed after the bombing of Raxus and the death of Senator Bontari."

"I—forgive me, sir, but are you suggesting that the war should never have been fought."

"Respectfully, Commander, yes, yes I am."

"Ash—"

"I know, Tali, I know." He surrendered quickly. "While the gaps in our knowledge of what truly happened are still considerable, we both know that Palpatine was playing events from both sides, and war was inevitable. However, had we remembered our training, I believe the Order could've stopped him."

"How?"

"By remaining neutral."

"I just—"

"Not refusing to intervene, per se." He amended quickly. "But we should have outright refused to allow members of the Order to serve as military officers. The Grand Army should have been led soldiers, both clone and volunteer."

"And the Jedi?"

"We should've been Jedi. We should have continued on as we had for millennia before, but with a few changes."

"Such as?" Pax asked, having thus far remained silent and listening.

"We should have dedicated teams to uncovering the identity of the remaining Sith Lord, and we should have assigned negotiators to reach out to the Congress of the Confederacy and offered our services, as we have the Republic Senate. We could also have dedicated some Jedi teams to humanitarian missions on contested planets such as Ryloth, with the understanding by both sides that our sole mandate was to protect the innocents caught in the middle, and that we would defend them appropriately from either side if needed. The galaxy is beyond big enough for two galactic powers to peacefully coexist. The belief that the Order would have lost as much by not fighting as we did by fighting, I believe, is quite incorrect."

He did momentarily find irony in the fact that he himself had—perhaps as a defensive mechanism or else to mask his true feelings—perpetrated that very theory he'd just labeled false. Indeed, that was the very argument he had recently presented to Cal Kestis on Nar Shaddaa.

Asher sighed as they at last reached the command turbolift that would take them directly to the ship's bridge. "Palpatine was only able to manipulate us into warfare because he knew we'd become blinded by the growing shrouds of the Dark Side. He blinded us just enough to make us forget ourselves. He set the trap, and he baited us like we were children. And, like children, we walked happily into the trap. In doing so, I fear, we became the very thing we'd sworn to destroy. By the Force, Barriss was right."

This, now, drew the sharpest look from both his friends that he had ever received, and their outrage was justifiable. Barriss Offee had bombed the Jedi Temple in the closing months of the war, and then had blamed it on her best friend, Ahsoka Tano. This had then led to Ahsoka being expelled from the Order, arrested by the Republic, and nearly convicted of treason.

"Her ideals were right." Asher explained quickly. "Her heart, her methods, were utterly wrong and completely flawed, but her belief that we'd lost our way, lost ourselves, is one I fully agree with."

"Sir, if I may—"

"Speak freely, Tactus."

"You speak of this, yet here you are, plotting open rebellion and warfare against the Empire. Is this not as much a violation of your beliefs and ideals as the action of the Jedi during the Clone Wars?"

"I've asked myself that same question a hundred times over, Commander." He confessed. "But this—this is different."

"I—may I ask how, sir?"

"The Galactic Empire preaches peace and security, but history has proven that the Lords of the Sith know not the meaning of either word. Darth Sidious, Darth Vader—they care only about power. They want everything in the galaxy to fit a certain mold. They want complete conformity and obedience, and in such they want to drive into total extinction the mere concept of diversity.

"That is a sin against the Force itself. The universe—the Force—demands diversity. Life, the core of the Force, cannot exist without it. Without diversity, life stagnates. Withers. Dies. I remain, as always, a Jedi Knight, and my priority will be to protect those too weak to protect themselves. However, as one of less than a hundred surviving Jedi, my mandate is also to affect the removal from power the Dark Lords of the Sith. To remain idle now would be as big a violation of my oaths as a Jedi as fighting would have been during the Clone Wars."

"You will note, Commander," Tali added, coming to his defense. "That in his capacity, he rarely enters direct combat, and only when his hand is forced. Otherwise, he continues acting as he always has, operating well beyond the front lines."

"Yes, sir."

"My goal is to re-establish the Jedi Order with modernized points-of-view that remain true to our core mandate as peacekeepers, diplomats, investigators, healers, and guardians of justice. If that mission succeeds, the issue of the Sith shall be a much more manageable thing."

"Modernized points-of-view." Pax mused as they entered the lift, and the thing began to rise. "What does that even mean?"

"It means the Order itself had begun to fester and decay."

"Aye, I fear he's right." Tali agreed, earning for her response quite the look from her friend.

"How so?"

"Why, I daresay Ash and I are the perfect examples of that."

"You mean—"

"If the Council had found out about our relationship, even during the war, we'd likely have been expelled."

"Or else reassigned, permanently, to the AgriCorps." Tali added with what sounded almost like disdain.

"Jedi are taught to forsake romance and family because it presents the possibility that the ultimate conflict of interest will arise." Asher continued, again repeating a line he himself had before spoken.

"Right." Pax confirmed, repeating for himself the very reason the Order had forbidden romantic and familial relationships. "How many would choose to save millions, or even billions, if it meant sacrificing the ones they love the most?"

"Yet, with the proper training, any Jedi could." Asher countered. "I love Tali with all my heart and soul; she completes me—as she has since the day we met—in a way that even the Force never could."

Hawyya's deep voice boomed out with what sounded suspiciously like laughter. It was something Pax seemed to expound upon.

"Hawyya's right; didn't she try to kill you the first time she met, as part of her initiation as a Sith Lord?"

"Well, yes, yes she did."

"And did she not try to kill you a dozen subsequent times during you mission to Kaitune?"

"Aye, it was thirteen, actually." Tali chuckled.

"You were in love with her even then."

"Doubtful." Asher answered with a laugh of his own, now. "But I did feel a connection with her that even my knowledge of Jedi lore could not properly explain."

"Ah. So, then, you think Jedi could be trained to overcome the conflict of interest that would come from falling in love or having their family."

"Without a doubt." He answered. "I love Tali, and would do anything for her. I love my mother, even as tumultuous as our relationship has been since we reunited on Kaitune. I love you, Hawyya, my sister, Mastar Kavar—even Tactus is starting to grow on me."

"I—thank you, sir."

"However, as much as I love you all, I would sacrifice you, willingly, if it meant saving the Republic or the galaxy itself. I would," He added quickly as he noticed the look of dismay on the Wookie's face. "Do all I could to avoid that sacrifice, but, if it came down to it—"

"Jedi," Tali finished. "Are taught from infancy to be prepared to accept death, whenever it should arise, and that there are significant chances that it could come for us on even the simplest of missions."

"We are also taught that life is but the first chapter in the Book of Existence. Death is such a finite thing, but merely a blip in the overall existence of the Unifying Force."

"There is no Death." Pax recited. "There is only the Force."

"There is only the Force." Asher and Tali repeated in unison.

At these words, the turbolift's ascension ceased and immediately the doors slid open with a near-silent hiss, expelling those gathered into the depths of the primary command bridge, itself located on the starboard bridge.

Immediately, Asher noticed something amiss. While it had been several months since he'd stepped aboard the bridge of the fleet's flagship, he could nonetheless remember the bridge being packed with both organic and droid crewmembers, as expected of a warship operating during wartime conditions. Now, however, it was empty.

No.

Not quite empty. Only mostly empty.

Despite his decades of Jedi training, he found himself unable to prevent his surprise from rippling out through the Force. It was something that did not go unnoticed.

"Given the nature of our meeting, I felt it prudent to momentarily relocate the command and bridge staff to Starfighter Command."

This, he knew, was in reference to the ship's base design, with the port bridge often being used for starfighter operations while the starboard bridge was designated as the ship's primary command center.

The speaker, it was soon apparent, was standing on the far side of the bridge's great holo-terminal, her form nearly hidden by the holographic display of the gathered fleet. As though eager to see him, her hand moved, almost imperceptibly, and the projector itself went dark.

The woman who'd explained the bridge's near-emptiness was a Human female with a tall, athletic build. Her brown hair, which itself fell was mostly a neat, short length—save for the two braids that began above either eye and fell down her back until they reached her waist—was so dark that it seemed almost black. Her dark blue eyes, then, were a perfect match to Asher's own surviving eye. Her face, though wizened, seemed so harsh as to almost be gentle. Even beneath her uniform, her arms bristled with the muscles of a life-long warrior. Though now nearing her fiftieth year of life, there was little doubt that this woman would make even the Lords of the Sith a formidable foe.

"Mom!"

Asher began moving towards the woman with a brisk stride, genuinely happy to see her once more. Gone were the days when he'd warred against the urge to have a relationship with his biological mother, to be a perfect Jedi. Now, he hugged her like a young boy returning home for the first time in years.

For her part, the men and women who'd served under her, both before and during the Clone Wars, would have found themselves quite flummoxed to see the smile grace her face as she moved with equal joy to embrace her son. Her usual steely discipline, for the moment, was gone. Maliya Victus was no longer a fallen Jedi-turned-naval commander, but rather a mother overjoyed to see her battle-scarred son home and alive once more.

"Not gonna lie, Son—you had me worried when we heard the Empire hard-charged a task force to Nar Shaddaa."

"Yeah—sorry 'bout that." Asher responded after the embrace had ended, allowing his mother to now embrace Tali. "I promise, it wasn't my intention to draw the Empire to the Smuggler's Moon."

"Of course not." A new voice confirmed. "You merely figured that driving your lightsaber through an Imperial probe droid would go completely unnoticed by Imps who've made hunting down the remaining Jedi their sole priority."

Despite this rebuke his actions on Nar Shaddaa, Asher found his smile growing even wider as he turned to regard the speaker. This Human, also a woman herself donning traditional Jedi robes, was slightly shorter than Maliya. Her hair was a deep red that fell in loose cascades down past her shoulders. Her grey eyes seemed to sparkle with an intensity few others could match, though, he noticed, she did look tired now. No doubt, Asher suspected, that this was due to the small bundle held gently in her arms. Months removed from her successful pregnancy, she remained as fit and, like his own mother, athletic and combat-ready as ever.

"Master." He greeted, embracing her briefly before also acknowledging the baby in her arms. "And hello to you too, lil' Serana."

"Kid, didn't I tell you to avoid drawing any Imperial attention during your mission to Nar Shaddaa?"

"I believe, Mistress Kavar, that your exact words were 'And for the Love of the Force, don't draw any kriffin' Imperial attention on this one, you little Sithspawn; we're too close and too vulnerable for—"

"That's enough, Em Six." A man's voice interjected, silencing the silver protocol droid immediately. "I'm sure Asher remembers what she said."

"I—"

"And I'm sure my old Padawan also remembers that the cut of a lightsaber's blade is one of the most easily-recognized signs of combat in the galaxy."

"I—"

"To be fair, Master." Tali intervened. "He did dispose of the droid's remains by kicking it off of the platform and into the depths of Nar Shaddaa itself. His damage took out the droid's built-in central processor, so the Empire shouldn't be able to locate it on the planet's surface, even if they were brave enough to go that far down."

"Thank the Force for that, then." She sighed as the male speaker appeared at her side. His once-black hair, still cropped short and parted neatly down the center, was now fading to grey, as were the mustache and goatee on his face. His brown eyes looked exhausted, but when he kissed Lor Kavar and took the infant from her arms, Jedi Master Jax Rymus momentarily lost a decade from his aged face, looking more like he had when he'd first taken Pax as his Padawan Learner. "With any luck, the Empire will assume it was shot and destroyed by a drunk or a smuggler."

As he took in those assembled, Asher could feel time itself fading away. Suddenly, for but the briefest of moments, nothing was wrong. Order 66 had never been issued. The Jedi had never been purged. Asajj Ventress's lightsaber had never taken his eye. The Clone Wars had never been waged, and he was home, with his family. For but this moment, the galaxy was perfectly at peace.

How long?

How long, he asked himself, had it been since they'd all been in the same place at the same time? As he thought on it, he realized that it had been, very likely, before that darkest day on Geonosis.

And then came the fear as numbers began to run in his head.

His mother. Lor Kavar. Jax Rymus. Pax. Tali. Hawyya. His child sister, Vallyin. Serana Rymus. Himself.

Nine.

Nine individuals strong in the Force. How long had it been since—

"Relax, Kid." Lor interjected, as though she'd read his very thought. "Your mom chose to assemble the Fleet here for a reason."

"She's right, Ash." Maliya answered. "The world below isn't merely an uncharted planet surrounded by a nebula that distorts even the strongest sensors, but it's also rich life, which not only provides us a great source of food and resources to keep the fleet supplied, but—"

"It also ensures we can gather here without worry of the Sith sensing us."

"Exactly."

He suddenly felt ashamed. He'd been so caught up in his own thoughts that he'd failed to sense the overwhelming amount of life on the planet below. To his surprise, however, the harder he focused on that, the more overwhelming it became.

The perfect place to reassemble gathered Jedi.

He nodded. "Let us begin, then."

"Your mission was successful, then?"

"It was, Master, yes." Tali confirmed as she activated an image of Cal Kestis and the crew of the Stinger Mantis.

"We did confirm that his companion is, in fact, a Nightsister of Dathomir. However, upon investigating the two, I can also confirm that she is not corrupting him."

Lor Kavar drew a sharp breath inward, as though she refused to believe her former apprentice's words. "You're sure?"

"Yes." Tali answered. "If anything, I believe she may be healing him."

"He was injured?" This question, now, came from Jax, whose neutral, calm tone was the exact opposite of his wife's.

"Not physically." Asher explained. "Though I did sense something off with his connection to the Force."

"Off—how, exactly?"

"I'm not sure, Master." He answered truthfully. "If I had to guess, I would say he suffered a mental or emotional trauma—perhaps something relating to Order 66." He paused as he pressed a button, bringing up a new image to stand beside the first. This shimmering image was of a powerfully-built, purple-skinned alien. A Lasat.

"We know Cal was apprenticed to Jedi Master Jaro Tapal during the war, and, while our list is incomplete, Master Tapal is one of the Jedi we know to have been killed as a direct result of Order 66."

"It is possible," Jax surmised. "That Kestis felt guilty for his master's death. He was a child, after all. That kind of guilt can do harsh things to one's mind. It is possible he even cut himself off from the Force entirely, either intentionally or subconsciously, as a means to evade detection."

"I also believe," Tali added. "That this Nightsister, Merrin, may be the last of her tribe. We know, from Masters Kenobi and Skywalkers own reports, that General Grievous and Count Dooku target Dathomir late into the war."

"If so," Maliya added. "Then it may be that their shared loss established a connection between them, as unusual as that is to form between a Jedi and a Witch."

"Then you believe this Nightsister—Marrin, you called her—can be trusted?"

Asher paused briefly to consider his master's question, and when he spoke, his words were as measured as they were cautious.

"No. At least, no as we generally define the term."

"What'd you mean?"

"She is a Dathomir Nightsister." He repeated. "Her people and their culture are as alien to us as we are to them. I wouldn't stake the future of the Jedi Order on her."

"Then—"

"It is, however, something I would entrust to Cal Kestis." He continued before his Master could argue further. "Our suspicions were correct; he did pursue at least one Imperial Inquisitor to their fortress world, and he did recover a copy of the list of known Force-sensitive children in the galaxy."

"What's more," Tali added. "He also destroyed the list."

"He—what now?" Maliya and Lor asked in near-perfect unison.

"Aye, destroyed it, holocron and all. Made sure there was no possible way the Emperor or Vader could recover it."

"A rather wise move, that." Jax answered with approval. "He recognized that the danger of collecting these children to train and raise as Jedi rivals that of the Empire finding and capturing them. Shows a firm trust in the Force and its Will."

"I, personally, may not trust Merrin, but Cal seems to, and—for now—I trust him."

"What do you know of their other companions, the woman and the Latero?"

"The Latero is Greez Dritus." Pax answered. "I did some discreet digging and scanning of his ship while you were busy with the Cal and Merrin."

"What did you find, Padawan?"

"Sadly, not much. Aside from some exemplary scores from his time at the Lateron Space Academy, there's just not much on him. What I did find, however, points to a life-long gambling addiction and some recent trouble with the Haxion Brood."

"The Brood never gives up the chase." Maliya responded. "However, so long as they remain on Alderaan, they shouldn't pose too much of a risk. That assumes, of course, that he accepted the mission."

"He did." Asher answered.

"As did Greez, albeit reluctantly." Tali added. "Of course, the small fortune of credits did make it an easier choice."

"I just bet."

"And the woman?" Jax asked, forcing the conversation back on topic.

"Someone Master Kavar knows rather well."

At Asher's words, Lor's eyes narrowed as she took a step forward. No one spoke as she studied the woman's image. Moments later, however, her eyes widened as recognition suddenly slammed into her.

"Cere." She whispered.

"Who?" Maliya asked.

"Cere Junda." Asher clarified. "Jedi Knight, formerly the Padawan of Master—"

"Eno Cordova." Lor, now, laughed. "Of course! It makes so much sense now!"

"Master?"

"Master Cordova was a lot like you, Ash." Lor answered. "He was a Jedi Historian, specializing in archeology and ancient civilizations. He was a genius, even among the Order's greatest minds."

"But-?"

"During the war, he became—different. Some called him eccentric, some called him mad."

"Why?"

"He kept prophesizing—" She paused to sigh heavily. "He prophesized that the Clone Wars would end with the destruction of the entire Jedi Order. The Council dismissed his warnings as a sign of his advanced age, but now—"

"Now you feel he had more to it than they realized." Asher answered.

"Mhmm. I also know he was close friends with your first master."

"Madame Jocasta?"

"Indeed, and I do know Madame Jocasta held immense respect for his insight."

"That would explain how he obtained a copy of The List. If he approached Madame Jocasta with his prophecy of the Order's destruction, she would have given him a copy of that list."

"We still don't know where he stored it, if it's the same copy Cal destroyed, or even how the Empire obtained it, but yes, yes she would have." Lor again fell silent as her face dropped into a deep frown.

"Master? Something's wrong."

"Yeah Tali, it is."

"What?"

"The last thing I heard about Cere was an Imperial transmission I'd intercepted; it claimed Cere had been captured, alive, along with her Padawan and several Jedi younglings."

"So then—how did she escape?"

"Not many Jedi escape once captured by the Empire." Jax almost whispered it.

"I—" Tali paused, considering her words.

"You sensed it too?"

She nodded.

"Sensed what?" This, now, came from Pax.

"There was something, a dark presence, about Cere when we spoke."

"You think she's an Imperial agent?" Lor asked. Asher, however, shook his head.

"No, I don't. I do think, though, that she may have tapped into the Dark Side to escape, especially if something happened to her Padawan. What I felt was—"

"Shame." Tali answered.

"Shame." He agreed. "Her connection to the Force was there, but it was feint, shattered, like a light shining for the first time in years."

"Great." Maliya laughed harshly. "We're trusting the mission to Alderaan to, a failed gambler, a Dathomir Witch, and two broken Jedi. Outstanding."

"Those broken Jedi did something few other Jedi could." Asher countered his mother's criticism. "They survived an encounter with Darth Vader; surely that counts for something."

"He has a point." Jax answered. "Forget defeating him—merely surviving and escaping a Sith Lord is a major achievement."

"I still feel it should be me going to Alderaan." Tali spoke up.

"I have to agree. She was a Sith, once."

This was, he knew, a technical truth. However, he also knew, as his mother was quick to point out, that Tali's time as Darth Vector had been short-lived before he had pulled her from the embrace of the Dark Side.

"Still, how many other people do we know who were once Sith Lords, their tenure notwithstanding?"

"I understand your feelings, Tali." Lor answered. "However, this Sith Killer—whatever it is—is a longshot. It could be destroyed, or corrupted, or even something beyond our understanding. Regardless, it's not something we should be willing to trust the fate of the Order to."

"Additionally, as I said in my previous transmission, we have a mission that could, potentially, be even more important than the investigation into the Sith Killer."

"Such as?" Asher asked, turning once more to regard his mother.

"Even if the Sith Killer is everything we hope it is, the facts are simple; we still know little of the Sith as they are today. Asher, you yourself know, from your studies of the Jedi Archives, that thousands of years ago, the Sith numbered in the tens of thousands."

"Yeah."

"Yet, today, only two Sith exist."

"Master Yoda referred to it as the Rule of Two."

"The Rule of Two?" Pax asked with renewed interest.

"Yeah. Always two, there are; a master, and an apprentice." He answered, repeating Yoda's words on the matter. "It's believed that the Rule of Two was a doctrine first put into place a millennia ago by the Sith Lord known as Darth Bane. Though we've little information on it, the general idea as that there would be only two Sith at a time—a master to embody the powers of the Dark Side, and an apprentice to crave it. The Dark Lord would instruct his pupil, and once the apprentice felt they had learned all they could from their master, they would rise up and challenge their master."

"Challenge them how?"

"Kill them. If the apprentice succeeded, they became the Dark Lord and would then find their own apprentice, and the cycle would continue."

"And if they failed."

"They died." Tali answered. "It's not in a Sith's nature to be forgiving. Under the Rule of Two, the master would deem the apprentice too weak and would kill them."

"And then the master would find a new apprentice, and the cycle would continue. I daresay the idea is that, through this constant cycle, each Dark Lord would be greater and more powerful than their predecessor." Asher shrugged. "Unfortunately, anything beyond that remains a mystery."

"Master Plo once said the Council had wanted to assign additional Jedi teams to investigate the Sith following Master Jinn's death on Naboo, but eventually the Secession Crisis and then the war itself severely impeded their efforts." Lor explained. "Now, of course, we know that was one of the war's many goals."

"As I said before, re-establishing the Jedi High Council remains our top priority, but we have to find out more about the current Sith, which have obviously changed since their last rise to power a thousand years ago."

"Which," Lor concluded. "Brings us to your pending mission."

The images floating above the holoprojector now disappeared. However, they were quickly replaced by a single image, one that, even now, was something those gathered would forever recognize.

"Coruscant?!" Asher and Tali asked in a unified voice, their shock undeniable.

"We have intercepted some troubling comms traffic." Maliya answered. "The Imps seem convinced that a Jedi has been hiding out in the lower levels of the city immediately surrounding the Senate Plaza and Jedi Temple."

"Is that even possible?" This, now, came from the only non-Force-Sensative person in the room. Tactus's voice, however, remained as neutral as ever. "Apologies, Admiral, but—Coruscant is the capital of the entire Empire, the home of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. How could a Jedi—any Jedi—survive that close to them?"

"It's possible." Asher allowed. "But it would take an incredibly powerful Jedi Master to do it."

"Perhaps," Tali answered, the realization sinking into her, now. "Even a member of the Council."

"That's what we're hoping." Lor answered. The image of Coruscant was now replaced by twelve figures, each instantly recognizable as Jedi. "We do know for certain that Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Stass Allie, Agen Kolar, Saessee Tiin, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon—" She paused, a look of pain overtaking her face at the mention of her master's name. She quickly recovered, however. "Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Shaak Ti have been confirmed by the Empire as being killed in the opening minutes of Order 66."

As Lor had spoken each name, that master's corresponding image had turned red, leaving only four unmolested as she continued.

"Jedi Masters Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Oppo Rancisis remain unaccounted for, as does Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker."

Each figure began to glow yellow as that master's name was spoken.

"If the reports are true and a Jedi has survived on Coruscant, it is likely that it will be one of these men. The successful recovery and escape of any of these men would deal a crippling blow to both the Galactic Empire and the Sith Lords." Maliya paused, allowing the weight of her words to sink in.

"It's also possible that the surviving Jedi is none of these men." Jax added. "Many prominent and powerful Jedi yet remain unaccounted for, chief among them Jedi Masters Luminara Unduli, Eeth Koth, and Jocasta Nu are also believed to have potentially survived Order 66 and the subsequent purge. Any of these Jedi would be powerful enough to survive on Coruscant undetected for all this time."

Lor nodded. "Therefore, Ash, you and Tali will travel to Coruscant. You will pose as researchers from the University of Alderaan, cover identities kindly provided by Senator Bail Organa. Once on-world, you will locate and extract this surviving Jedi Master and return him—or her—to the Perseverance. That is your primary objective."

"Your secondary objective will be here." His mother added as the projector again changed images. This time, however, his heart sank and his knees now buckled. He could feel hot, watery tears welling up in his eyes as the fall of the Jedi Order now seemed utterly complete.

It was—or had once been—the Jedi Temple.

Its four magnificent spires, themselves framing a fifth and even grander spire, showed obvious signs of damage, even in their repaired state. The build itself was now a slate gray color and adorned by great crimson flags bearing the Imperial insignia—itself so similar to its predecessor's mark—hung down the great faces of the building's outer walls. While it appeared in much better shape than it had the last time Asher had seen it in the days following Order 66, to him it might as well have been rubble.

"Darth Sidious claimed the Jedi Temple as his new palace. Though mostly repaired and repainted following his ascension to Emperor, he demanded some signs of its initial damage be left, as a symbol to those who would dare to challenge him." Again, Maliya paused briefly. "The Force, however, is with us. Intercepted Imperial transmissions have confirmed that Emperor Palpatine has travelled offworld to an undisclosed destination and is expected to be away from the capital for a considerable time. You will, therefore, infilitrate the Imperial Palace and hack into the core of the Imperial Network."

"And what are we looking for while we're in the Jedi Temple?" Asher asked, pointedly correcting his mother.

"We need to know where we are and what we have to work with." Lor answered. "We need a complete list—or as complete as it can possibly be—of every Jedi confirmed to have been killed by the Empire."

"I see." Asher answered immediately. "We can cross reference that with the rolls I secured from the Archives five years ago to obtain a better visual on who may have survived the Purge."

"And," Tali added thoughtfully. "Obtaining such information from the very heart of Imperial control will ensure we have an up-to-date census on Jedi killed and not just the reports from the initial days following the issuance of Order 66."

"Just so."

"Unfortunately," Jax interjected. "We do have reports that, though his master is off-world, Darth Vader is not."

"He's right, I'm afraid." Maliya answered. "And we believe he may be leading the efforts to track down our mystery Jedi."

"Which is why you want us to go to Coruscant."

"Aside from Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Skywalker, you're the only Jedi in the entire Order to have any real experience with the Sith; Tali, you stood toe-to-toe with Count Dooku on three separate occasions, and each time you very nearly defeated him. Asher, you faced Dooku twice and nearly won, as well. You both survived more run-ins with Asajj Ventress than I can count, and even survived a duel with that Zabrak, Savage Oppress. Of all of us, you're the best options we have for this one."

"Brilliant." Tali muttered, receiving a smile from her husband and a bemused smirk from her former mentor.

"I love you both." Maliya added. "When I surrendered Asher to the same Order that expelled me, I was hurt. I was lost, and I was angry. I'd fallen to the Dark Side, and even after Master Yoda stopped me from making a major mistake, after he brought me back into the Light, I didn't know who I was, and I knew I'd never see my son again. The Force gave me a second chance and for that I will be forever grateful."

"Mom, wh—"

"And Tali, I thought this kid was completely mad when he demanded the chance to return you to the Light. Yet, where I saw only Darth Vector, newly-crowned Sith Apprentice, he saw Talia Arcturus. He was right, and I was wrong. You became his best friend, and the smile I see in his eyes when you're around—that's what any mother wants for her children."

"Okay, mom, you're starting to frig—"

"I say this because I need you to understand how important my next words are. Once you break atmosphere on Coruscant, you are on your own. No one here will be able to help you. This mission is unlike anything either of you have ever experienced. You will have no clone troopers at your back to reinforce you. If the Empire discovers your presence, if they capture you, we cannot extract you. Understand this—as much as I love you both—this fleet is all that remains of the Galactic Republic Navy, and it is no match for the ever-growing Imperial Star Fleet, especially with more Imperial-Class Star Destroyers now coming out of the shipyards. Even for my own son, I will not risk this fleet to assault the Imperial capital, even if it means your destruction."

For but a moment, he felt like he'd been slapped in the face, but that feeling quickly passed. She was, he knew, doing what was best for their ultimate goal of restoring the Republic. If they were captured and she attempted to free them, it would only result in the destruction of what limited military force they had. With a greater rebellion still but a distant pipe dream, even the lives of two Jedi Knights paled in comparison to the importance of this fleet.

"We understand, Mom."

"Aye, that we do."

"We'll return," Pax answered. "I prom—"

"We?" Lor asked.

"I—well, I mean—"

"I'm afraid, Padawan, that you will not be accompanying Asher and Tali this time."

"I won't?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Well that drags."

"I'm sorry, Pax, but you and Jax have your own mission."

At this, the prospect of another mission with his old master, Pax's face suddenly lit up, his momentary disappointment now completely gone.

"You have my complete and undivided attention, Admiral."

"We've heard rumors for years now that Experimental Unit Clone Force 99 may, in fact, have turned against the Empire immediately following Order 66." Lor responded. "While information is so sketchy as to be almost non-existent, it is rumored that they were on Kamino when it was destroyed, and that they survived."

"I—forgive me, sir, but you want to recruit the Bad Batch?"

"I do." Lor and Maliya answered in unison, with the former offering Tactus a blunt continuance. "I understand their reputation as mavericks, and I also understand that they were far from the ideal clone soldiers. However, they were nonetheless highly effective at deconstructing threats, and if they did indeed betray the Empire, they are an asset I would dearly love to have on our side."

"Commander Tactus, I would consider it a favor if you would accompany them." Lor added. "Forgive me, but—"

"I'm a clone, sir, the same as the Bad Batch. I understand, General."

"You're more than that, Tactus." Tali corrected. "You're an ally, and a friend—never forget that."

"Never—sir."

"Unfortunately, Clone Unit 99 has been exceedingly efficient at covering their tracks; the fact that it's taken us five years to even reach this point is a testament to that fact." Maliya explained. "The only thing I can give you is that there were unconfirmed reports that the group's ship put in for refueling at Mos Eisley spaceport, on Tatooine. That is where your search will begin."

"We'll leave immediate—"

"No, you won't."

"Mom?"

"Your ships are being refueled and prepared. However, given the nature of the missions your all embarking on—perhaps a family meal wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility."

It was, Asher knew, quite a personal request, as personal as his usually-stoic mother ever got. Yet, with her unusual display of emotion moments ago, he merely accepted this in stride. It had, after all, been a rather long time indeed since he'd been afforded such an opportunity to enjoy some casual, private time with his family.

Yes, he was suddenly quite approving of that request. Plus, he mentally told himself, it would be nice to see his young sister before leaving to infiltrate the heart of the Empire.

His smile grew wider than it had been in years. "I'm in."

So, what did everyone think?

I promise, you'll learn more about the one-time Darth Vector, Asher's mom and her fall to the Dark Side, and the other characters bit-by-bit as the story progresses.

As for the ships of their collected fleet-I figured that, with the Imperial Navy now transitioning to using the Imperial-Class Star Destroyer and the Arquitens-Class Light Cruiser as the backbone of its military power, the older Venator-Class Star Destroyers would be decommissioned and sent for scrap, along with the Acclamator-Class Assault Ships and the ships of the CIS, and that anyone wanting to build up a crude but effective navy would likely, piece-by-piece if need be, hijack and commandeer those vessels before they're scrapped. And yes, that's a process you'll learn more about as the story progresses, as well.

In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think. Until next time, folks!