Chapter 26

(Coruscant)

It had been a long day. Exar had first gone to the Scorcher, in Coruscant orbit and introduced himself to Octavian Grant, and made preparations with Admiral Refflet on the moves they would make once they arrived at the Tapani sector. The priority one of the first phase of the re-conquest would be the securing of Fondor and its critical shipyards. The Moffs had launched attacks at Fondor almost immediately with sufficient forces to whittle down Imperial assets in the shipyards. Many vessels there had returned from the Out-Rim in evacuations prompted by the Moff announcement of secession. With the Moff attacks at Fondor fourteen Stardestroyers were destroyed, another twelve critically damaged, and on top of that damages to everything from Victory-class ships to starfighter repair stations were hit. It would take several weeks to clean up the mess, but as it stood the shipyards were still functional, and The loyal remnants of the sector have now flooded the world to ward off any further attacks until Kun arrives with the 68th and assumes command of operations in that region of space.

His apprentice had met with the Emperor of course, and he had assumed things had gone well considering there wasn't some squad of killers sent by the Emperor to try and kill him, so he had smiled when he received the most subtle of a Force signature from Viathan that was essentially a means to confirm that things went swimmingly. After doing all of that on this day, Kun then met with director of I.S.B again, Crueya Vandron to discuss what the Moffs were up to in detail. Besides their victory at Seswenna because of a sanctioned retreat by the Emperor, the Moffs were not doing so well. They were crushing local oppositions inside their zones of control. However they were maintaining their border in the Expansion-Region, and the Emperor was going to take this opportunity to launch an all out assault into the Expansion-Region and reclaim his old territory while Moffs are tied down in their local Consolidation campaigns. The only piece of Intel Kun though very useful for later was the knowledge of who commanded the battle at Seswenna for the Moffs. A Moff named Ardus Kaine, had led the battle, and had been, before the Moff rebellion, the natural successor to Grand Moff Tarkin should Tarkin ever die. Now Kaine had thrown his influence behind the Moff Alliance, and intelligence reported that if there were ever a man that would make moves to rid the Alliance of Vellam it would be Ardus Kaine. A piece of intelligence that lord Vader would greatly appreciate.

So that had been his day, and Kun was now walking through the halls of the palace heading for a shuttle to return to Vader's palace. Only, there was a problem. He was being shadowed by someone. A Force user he could sense. One that was trying to mask their presence in the Force. Only they weren't doing exactly well. 'If you wanna play, I'll play.' Kun thought with a smirk as he rounded a familiar corner. You see he felt this person shadowing him for sometime now, and this was perhaps the third time he's rounded this corner, as he forced whoever was following him to walk in circles all night. It was quiet hilarious actually. For Kun could feel the irritation from this person rising, and it would be no time before they broke their attempt to sneak and confront him head on.

Indeed Kun did this two more times, and then finally the person broke.

"I will assume you knew you were being followed. Or are you simply lost, or mentally damaged I wonder?"
"Charming, and who might you be? An assassin perhaps?"
"Some would say that. Me, I wasn't sent to kill you. No I cam here of my own volition. I wanted to see first hand Exar Kun, the man who by records, split his soul and body in two, and somehow managed to create an exact replica." The voice of a woman spoke as she stepped from the shadows of the palace. Kun noted that she had wild black hair that fell to just to her shoulders. She had golden eyes, though not the yellow of a Sith, these seemed…natural. What was really striking though was the fact that her right arm was that of a massive droid. It looked like to could break through solid concrete if she wanted.

"Ah, I see…..I have a fan do I? Well, here I stand before you. Exar Kun, at your service Ms-"
"Lyn. Arden Lyn, and enough with the theatrics Kun. I am in no mood as it is."
"Lyn….Lyn…..I feel as if I've heard that name before, hmm…" Kun replied as he brought a hand to his chin in thought. While the woman folded her arms and waited for him to either remember or give up.

"No….not the same one, it couldn't be!" Kun finally snapped as he neared her and looked her over, and really searched his memory

"Oh, but it is you…Arden Lyn! The very same that took part in the First Great Schism in the Jedi order. Consort of general Xendor, and second in command of the Legions of Lettow!"

"The same." She commented dryly, and very faintly smirked at the Sith lord's shock.

"Then indeed, I was mistaken in believing myself to be the oldest being the galaxy. You have to be….-"
"I alone outlasted the Galactic Republic, well over twenty-five-thousand years of history is behind me."
"Indeed it is." Exar said as he folded his arms and looked the woman over several more times as the shock hadn't yet faded from him.

"So, do tell. Why have you been shadowing me?" The dark lord asked, and she shrugged lazily.

"I know of you Kun. You see I sent myself into a Force induced sleep. When I awoke the galaxy was a much different place. I was awoken by three of the Emperors pathetic little Inquisitors, and though I did enough damage, they defeated me. They then 'offered,' me and my services to the Emperor. Whose Hand I have been for some years now."
"How fortunate for you that you've come into the service of the most powerful man in the galaxy then."
"Save your sarcasm Kun I have no need and no desire to hear it." Lyn retorted as her golden eyes hardened. "I am in no mood to tiptoe around what I mean and what I want, and so I shall say."
Kun raised a brow to that, but stayed silent.

"I would have in time brought myself out of his services in my own time frame. However things have happened in this galaxy that I think has negated my ability to fight him in the way I desire. I do not follow your little Sith traditions or power plays. The Sith were created long after my, 'death,' and were here when I returned. I know this much however, I know you are not his servant, and I know you are planning something, and the real question is why have I not gone to the Emperor with my thoughts on the matter? Well there are two reasons to be honest. For starters he would probably disregard me and my thoughts as he already knows deep down that you are plotting to remove him from power, and until then he seeks to merely use you and your…abilities."
"The second?" Kun asked with a neutral but deep voice.

"The second is, I don't want him to know. I want him to discover it at too late a time. At a point where he will lose all he has, and falls at the boots of his enemies. To bring that old man crashing down, that is my dream." The woman declared and Kun raise both his brows in mild shock to her boldness.

"An opportunist I see." He commented and then laughed a few deep laughs. "My dear Arden Lyn, how do you expect me to trust you? I mean you are indeed a Hand of the Emperor. I have my hands full with one of those already."
"That boy may have potential. I have seen my fellow Hand before and Zalliste has…..shall we say issues? Not that those with issues cant be used t help you move along your plans, but I think you need those with experience and will to do."
"What did he do exactly to get you in such a cross mood?" Kun finally asked as he sensed a hidden reason upon this woman.

She pursed her lips in anger, but did speak after a tense moment.
"He promised…he said he could bring back-"
"Xendor? That old man said he could and would resurrect the ancient general of the legions of Lettow?!" Exar asked incredulously as he couldn't believe that the old man would make such a bold faced lie!

"My dear Lyn, I am sorry that you fell for his lies. However, surely you realized that even if he had the ability he wouldn't dare bring back to life a man like Xendor who would so obviously contend for his power. After all I came back of my own power, of my own will. He would never do such a thing."
"I am quite aware!" She yelled louder then she wanted and let her emotion get the better of her and Kun could see, much to his shock, this woman honestly missed the fallen general.

"Ah, I see. The wish to see your dear Xendor will never be fulfilled by Palpatine will it?" She nodded slowly and sadly, and Kun almost thought she would shed a tear really.

"Come now, Lyn." Exar said as he waved a hand in the air.

"You cannot expect me to be the answer to your problem in regards to Xendor. The only thing I can offer that which you spoke up firstly with me. I can take you from here in the dregs of servitude, to the height of vengeance. That I can give you. The means to seeing the downfall of the man who lied to you to attain your services. However, I will need to see your are serious in this matter. You must prove your willfulness and allegiance to your own revenge."
"What would you have me do, Kun?"

Exar once more cupped his chin in thought.

"You say you've heard of me correct?"
"Yes."

"I looked through the grand archives of the senate. Even the personal library here in the palace, and all knowledge of the Sith is very mild. Very strew about and in cohesive in nature. How did you know of me?"
"The Emperor's massive collection of dark side artifacts. His tomes, scripts, holocrons, his books. He has all of this and more about almost all Sith, and those of dark side powers in his vaults across the galaxy, and some of his most important ones are now in Moff held space."
"Very interesting." Exar commented as a thrill went through him at the idea of having all that knowledge accumulated into one place.

"Here, is your assignment Lyn." Kun spoke and she stiffened and hardened her eyes, ready for action.

"Go to his vaults, his hidden locations inside Moff held space. Take ALL his artifacts and scriptures. Contact me after you have filled your ship with all these things. I will tell you where to bring them. If you do this for me, I shall bring you into a fold that I feel you think you know about, but you've only scratched the surface I assure you."
"I shall not fail Kun. This does not make me your slave however." She warned with a pointed finger and Kun inclined his head.
"Of course, Lyn, but you need friends like me if you're going to contend with the Emperor right? If that's indeed what you've told me, then trust me. There is no better friend in the galaxy for that task than me." With that Kun turned and once more began to walk. Only this time he actually made for his shuttle and left Arden Lyn standing in the hall to contemplate how she would carry out her task. With resolve, and a will to do this. Arden hardened herself, and made for her own ship. As she set out for the first stop on her list of Moff controlled vault worlds. Wayland.

(Manaan)

Daytime was coming through as the morning rounded around on the water world of Manaan. The Selkath were rejoicing with the fall of the Imperial forces in Ahto city and the surrender of all underwater personnel after the controlled flooding of their underwater facility. The Selkath paraded the captured Imperial officers through the streets to crowds who jeered and spat at them as they all but partied in the streets. The droid armies enjoyed being treated like saviors, though the droids didn't understand what was going on, they nonetheless stood in symmetrical lines as they were inspected like a well fashioned army by SC of the URM military Kellia Nelrain, and the new leader of Manaan, Muhdu Gelshrik. The droid armies sustained over fifty thousand destroyed units, but the Imperial garrison of over seventy-thousand, including underwater facilities, were brought down to only four-thousand, and they were all officers. As the trooper corps and the regular infantry regiments all either fought and died to the bitter end, of tried to run, but were rounded up and executed by overly zealous Selkath militia units.

Kellia had slept rather restlessly as the images of the battle plagued her mind. It was not a real slaughter, but the sounds, the blasts, the crying of fallen troopers, the whimpering and croaking of injured and of dying Selkath, and the stomps of droid units.

So when she was awoken by her droid security detail she was not too angry.

When she reached the terminal she saw the newly christened Admiral Gial Ackbar on the other end. A very pleased look across his fish like features, and Kellia smiled at seeing him.

"Greetings admiral! How are things on Dac?"
"Very good. We have seized hundreds of ships from the yards, and beginning to refit and retrofit all Mon Calamari class ships for military use. All Imperial vessels seized are being worked on as we speak, and should be operational an fit for battle in just a few weeks at most. The ground situation as however becoming much more protracted then I would like, but we're handling it. Thousands of your droid units are doing wonders in helping us fight off the Imps." The admiral informed using the shortened term many rebels used when referencing the Imperial units.

"Many of my fellow Mon Calamari were unsure about working alongside droids after the Clone Wars, but they would have been foolish to deny help when it comes up, and so they are working together quite well now. The Imps, should be all either killed or captured on my homeworld in maybe a day more or two."
"That's wonderful admiral! I look forward to seeing your Calamarian battle ships in action."
"As do I." Ackbar commented with pride, but then seemed a little apprehensive and Kellia cocked her head in curiosity as to why.

"Is there something you wish to talk about admiral?"

"Yes actually, it's not something I look forward to talking with you about, but I ask that you trust in me and my judgment for now."

"Of course admiral." She said with a small smile, though she felt a little bit of anxiety.

"Okay. Well I've been contacted by an old friend of mine on Coruscant. It seems he's in trouble and needs my help. Or more so our help. The help of the URM."
"Well, you know how I feel about the senators of Imperial Center, admiral, but for your sake I shall withhold my judgment."
"I don't think you'll be able to when I tell you who it is." Ackbar intoned and immediately Kellia sensed a prickling and uneasy sensation go through her as something in the back of her mind told her it was who she most didn't want it to be.

"Admiral…-"
"It's Bail Organa." The admiral finally spat out and immediately Kellia grimaced and sneered then frowned as her face contorted from one look and feeling of disgust to the next.

"Admiral I am surprised at you! How could you even trust to speak to the fabled 'son of the Empire?!' That ma single-handedly sold the rebels of the galaxy down the proverbial river! Were it not for he we may have more allies with us today and more people on our side!"
"I know, I know! My own people warned me against speaking with him. Especially since it was mere moments before I began our attack. Yet I spoke with him. I did it and I do not apologize for it. Why? Because he spoke to me in the most blunt manner I have personally ever seen him do so. He says that he did sell out the rebels but it was because that madman that new hound of the Empire, Exar Kun threatened him with his daughter. The young princess of Alderaan Leia. He thought that he could stop Kun from doing anything, but he wasn't aware that Darth Vader would be in on the act, and he has been put in the situation he's in because he is a ploy to spark anger and distrust among the rebels in the galaxy, and he almost succeeded." Ackbar pointed out, and Kellia did feel a bit sorry for the man because of his daughter, as ugly memories of what the Empire does to people and their children for their own gains, but she quickly cast those feelings and memories aside as she hardened herself again.

"That may be so admiral, but I will never trust that man with anything ever again, and I would have hoped you would do the same."
"I do and I did. I told him the only way I would help him is if he were to come to me, and now that I have the system secured, and under control it would be foolish for a light to even moderate Imperial or Moff force to attack me head on. He would be hopelessly surrounded by my people and your droids. He needs our help, and I feel that what he has to say might be very important to our cause. He may even know the locations of the two Jedi masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, as he brought them up in our conversation as if he knew them and knew more about them now then he let on."

Widening her eyes at the mentioning of the two Jedi masters, Kellia had to quietly think. Was it really worth it to bring this man who betrayed them into their circle who had betrayed them willingly or unwillingly? Were two Jedi masters worth it? To bring them in on this rebellion?

"What are you asking of me exactly Gial?" Kellia asked dropping the impersonal title of admiral with Ackbar, who sighed.

"Hear him out, and listen to what I listened and then make your decision. If you still don't trust him I'll go along with you, but if you think what he can offer is good enough, then I'll back you up there as well."
Kellia though on it for a few quiet moments as she hung her head and reached into the Force trying to calm herself and her often temperamental emotions. The Force whispered and much to her aggravation told her that she should go along with Ackbar.

"Alright I'll…hear him out." She mumbled in a very low voice that got across the fact she didn't like this plan one bit.

"I swear though Ackbar, if I don't like him, or he makes one suspicious move I will send a kill order to all droideka units on Dac to hunt him down!" She warned and despite that Ackbar smiled and gave a light chuckle.

"Understood ma'am. I'll tell him of your decision when he arrives, and I'll also keep sending reports on the progress of the planet-side battle below me."
"Very good admiral Ackbar. I eagerly await your report and not so eagerly await to meet your, 'friend.'" She commented sarcastically and once more Ackbar laughed and they ended their call.

"Well I'm getting anymore sleep." Kellia intoned as the star of Manaan steadily rose higher into the sky bringing the first free day of Manaan in many years. Deciding to call in on Sullust and Sluis Van to see how things were going, she was pleased to hear of a total success at Sullust and immediate work was being done to re-appropriate all facilities to the repairing and building of weapons and ships for the URM. While at Sluis Van the Tarisian fleet had engaged an Imperial fleet and sustained a few losses in ships, but when the Sluissi rose up against the Imperials in conjunction with the URM attack, and the landing of battle droid units to aid them. The Imperial were swiftly defeated. If any Imperials escaped they would assume the Moffs were making a move against Sluis Van, with droid armies.

Now the URM had all the shipyards that populated the Sluis system, and they also now had a piece of the Rimma Trade route under their command.

The day had jus begun for her, and already the air of the galaxy seemed a little more, free.

Authors Note: Not a lot to say here today, other then i hope you liked the inclusion of Arden Lyn. If you don't know who that is look her up she has quite the interesting story! As usual please point out or excuse any and all grammatical errors, and enjoy! :D