When Team Jacen's Imperial shuttle dropped out of hyperspace within Chiss space, they were hailed almost immediately. Looking out through the forward viewport and on the sensors, the trio looked at each other curiously before Jacen opened a frequency.

"Unidentified Imperial shuttle, this is Grand Jedi Master Kenth Hamner," the voice on the other line said. "Is this Jacen Solo?"

Knowing that they were dealing with Jedi now, Jacen and Onimi opened themselves up to the Force and felt the presence of hundreds of Jedi out in the star field before them, cloaked by their StealthX fighters. Jacen and Onimi nodded their heads in silent understanding, and even Nom Anor caught on, since he learned of StealthXs as well.

"This is Jacen Solo," the human of the trio replied. "How may my friends and I help you, Master Hamner?" He wasn't sure why Hamner was Grand Master, as he thought that Saba Sebatyne would have taken Luke's place in his death, just as she had before in this reality. But Jacen decided to play along and see what was going on first.

"You can start by telling us how you're alive now, Solo," Hamner demanded.

"Same as you. My friends and I are from different realities."

"Explain," Hamner said.

"Well, you remember the interdimensional entity known as Waru, Master Hamner?" Jacen asked.

"Yes. He transported you and your friends here?"

"Yep. He told us to help the Jedi out against the Killiks, and since the Council would need an extra Master, given the losses so far, we went to your reality, Master Hamner, took you, and dropped you off here."

"You're the ones who kidnapped me," Hamner concluded with an accusatory tone.

"Guilty as charged," Jacen replied dryly.

"Well, the Killiks aren't our prime problem right now, Solo," Hamner said. "It's the Chiss we have to worry about."

"Oh, really?" Jacen asked. "Did you get a report from Reonoq since you left Shedu Maad regarding the fate of the Killiks there?"

"We got one before we left," Hamner answered. "Jedi Hellin explained that there weren't any traces of the Thuruht nest there. Though he doubts that they could have just been exterminated, it's still not something that's worrying us at the present."

"Well, I think it should," Jacen said. "Because I think the Killiks may have taken over the Chiss Ascendancy by now."

"How do you figure that?" Hamner asked with obvious nervousness.

"We learned that the Killiks would still be a powerful threat to contend with from Zonama Sekot," Jacen said, deliberately leaving out the part about Darth Plagueis's involvement in all of this. "So we decided that the Jedi may need more direct help."

"And what could you possibly bring to the table?" Hamner asked.

"Well, after we dropped you off in this reality," Jacen began explaining, "my friends and I went to another reality that had a Cilghal who didn't specialize in biology, nor was she a Jedi, but she was an intelligent, yet crazy, Force-sensitive tech genius. Hell, we're thinking of calling her a witch, because she managed to give us these explosive nano-spiders that can multiply like actual spiders and which can take out an entire fleet of ships with nuclear blasts. It's amazing what she can do. She's like MacGuyver."

"Who?" Hamner asked.

"Oh, nothing, it's just a reference to a reality we visited before we were met by Waru," Jacen said.

"You went to other realities before you met Waru?" Hamner asked.

"Yeah, it's a long story," Jacen said. "Point is, we can help you out, regardless of whether or not you believe me that the Killiks are a bigger problem than you think right now."

"Actually, what you just said, about the Killiks controlling the Ascendancy, does explain something," Hamner said.

"What do you mean?" Jacen asked.

"A few hours ago, we left the Csilla system because the Ascendancy fleet in orbit of the planet somehow figured out that we arrived and decimated more than two-thirds of our forces," Hamner explains. "Grand Master Sebatyne was the last casualty of the battle, as she lost herself in the heat of combat and wouldn't listen to reason anymore, leaving me in her position. But anyway, if the Killiks are controlling the Ascendancy by now, then that explains how they figured out our presence by then."

"Well, just go home with the rest of your fleet, Master Hamner," Jacen said. "We'll take care of the Ascendancy and the Killiks for you."

"I hope you can," Hamner said. "We lost too much lately. The Order needs to rebuild itself right now."

"Understood," Jacen said. "Solo out." He then cut off communications.

"Um, Jacen?" Nom Anor inquired. "Shouldn't we make sure the Jedi stay focused on the Killiks? You know, that way, they won't interfere with Plagueis finding the Dagger of Mortis?"

"Good point, Nommy," Jacen said. He then turned back to the comm console and activated it. "Uh, Master Hamner?"

"What is it, Solo?"

"We got something to tell you," Jacen said.

"What are you doing?" Onimi cut in with a shocked tone.

Jacen waved Onimi and Nom Anor off from saying anymore.

"What do you have to tell us?" Hamner asked stiffly.

"There's a very powerful Sith Lord on the loose somewhere in this galaxy," Jacen said. "His name is Darth Plagueis, and he's currently inhabiting the body of Ben Skywalker. If you can spare any Jedi, you may wanna find him, but don't kill him. Bring him back alive, and that isn't optional."

"Who are you to tell the Jedi Order what to do?" Hamner asked, still stiff.

"I'm the guy who's gonna save your Order and, more importantly, the rest of the galaxy," Jacen replied.

Hamner was silent for a moment. "Why should this Darth Plagueis be brought back alive?"

"Like I said, he's inhabiting Ben Skywalker's body," Jacen said. "I think that if I can expel Plagueis's soul from Ben's body, I can bring Ben back from the Force."

"You're sure you can do this?" Hamner asked after another moment.

"Not a hundred percent sure, but I'm pretty confident that I can," Jacen replied.

Hamner's sigh was audible over the comm frequency. "Just how powerful is Darth Plagueis?"

"When I met him, he seemed pretty powerful," Jacen said. "It may take a Master or two to subdue him."

"Wait, when you met him?" Hamner repeated. "Why didn't you capture him yourself?"

Jacen grimaced. "Because I had to let him go to find the Dagger of Mortis."

"The Dagger of Mortis?" Hamner asked. "What's that?"

"The Dagger of Mortis is the one weapon that can kill Abeloth," Master Barratk'l's voice over the frequency chimed in. "You know, the entity that the Skywalkers needed help from the Lost Tribe of the Sith to confront?"

"Oh, yes, her, I remember," Hamner said. "So this weapon can kill her? I thought she was already dead."

"She is, but she can return," Jacen said. "As a supernatural Force entity, she can do that. But this Dagger is the one thing that will end her for sure."

"Why is this Plagueis to wield the Dagger?" Hamner asked. "Why not anyone else?"

Jacen shrugged, even though it couldn't be seen by Hamner. "The Force said so, I guess. He is the only one who knows where it is."

"Do you know where Plagueis is right now?" Hamner asked.

"I don't know," Jacen said. "All I know is, he's probably wherever the Dagger of Mortis at this point."

"That's really helpful," Barratk'l said. "The Ten Knights have been looking for the Dagger for several months now. We'll probably have no luck in finding this Plagueis, never mind subduing him."

"Well, when you find him," Jacen said, "go easy on him. If the Force is correct, he should be the one to take down Abeloth, and we can only hope for a chance for Ben Skywalker to return."

"I guess I have no choice but to take your word for it, Solo," Hamner said. "We'll see what we can do. You just take care of the Killiks and Chiss for us."

"Not to worry, Grand Master Hamner," Jacen said. "You can count on me."