Hey, everyone! How are you doing on this cool evening of Tuesday, December 27, 2022? I'm all right, as I worked hard on my first of four 8-hour shifts this week, and I still have a few hours left before I'll have to go to sleep. Which means I can write a bit in the meantime. So, if anyone has helpful advice to give, please feel free to shoot me a review or Personal Message on the site, and I'll see what I can do. Oh, and I hope to have the last two chapters out in a couple weeks or so, provided I can get some advice on them, preferably before the year's over. Well, I'd best get started on the chapter while there's still time in the night. May the Lord be with us all in these Dark Times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

0030 Hours, Selona 14th, 59 ABY

Inside the Perann Nebula

Within the Nihil Retreat's Outskirts

Aboard the Oblivion-class Corvette Vengeance

Fatigued and battered as Roland was, he was astounded at how two such different individuals like Kyp Durron and Maarek Stele, both fought on opposing sides of the Force and governments decades ago, could come together to overcome a common foe, even those as dangerous and powerful as the Rhandites.

With the Jedi Master's vastly stronger and superior connection to the Force allowing Kyp to blast away every slave their betters threw their way before swarming Alliance commandos could stun them unconscious and keep them from taking their lives for their failure, Maarek was able to engage the High Sorcerer in close combat on his own, and even in his advanced age, he was easily able to get the upper hand in this engagement.

As exotic as Roland's combat style was and all he learned from the Sith, the combined knowledge was too brittle and sloppy when compared with Maarek's decades of waging war against all manner of enemies and studying from the best martial arts instructors the galaxy had to offer throughout his decades of serving the Empire. Quickly overwhelming the Rhandite with his vast array of fighting forms, a stronger and more focused command of the Force, and disarming him of all weapons, the onetime Emperor's Hand knew Roland could not last long, but he needed to make sure he captured the Rhandite alive, since a corpse wouldn't be able to divulge any of his order's secrets and the star cluster's defenses to the enemy.

To add to the growing list of complications, with the summa-verminoths temporarily freed from his control by the fatal distraction, they quickly disengaged from their attack and were charging towards their handlers to seek retribution against their betters, and Roland was not going to let any of his opponents get the better of him. Thanking the One Sith and his Grand Sorcerer for teaching him many of the nuances that came with modern galactic technology and all manner of countermeasures, he used the gut-wrenching punch Maarak threw at him as a diversion to telekinetically trigger the ship's self-destruct countdown from on the bridge.

Now, in just ten short minutes, this ship and all those in its vicinity would be destroyed and return to the Dark they were born from. Unfortunately, his sense of triumph was short-lived, with Kyp silently and quickly sneaking up behind him and aiming a lightsaber at his throat. "What did you just do?!"

"What makes you think I did anything, Master Jedi?" Roland contemptuously sneered, searching around in his mouth for the pill he needed to escape imprisonment and avoid the risk of betraying his own.

"Call it a Force-honed hunch." Kyp acidly replied before Maarek surprised everyone and shot Roland right in both his knees, causing the High Sorcerer to scream in bloodcurdling pain while collapsing right onto the ground, shocking the elder Jedi Master. "What the slag was that for, Stele?!"

"Don't be dense, Durron. Our friend's just stalling for time." Maarek coldly stated, pushing Roland onto the ground before pulling out a set of pliers and ordering one of Kyp's accompanying Jedi Knights. "Hold him down and figure out what he's up to while I pull out his suicide pill."

Looking to Kyp for confirmation, the long serving Jedi quickly nodded, "Do what he says. He knows what he's doing." Contacting the corvettes that ferried everyone to the Vengeance, he ordered all the ship captains, "Go and get out of here with everyone else before we run into any more surprises. We'll follow behind you right after we ensure we aren't pursued."

Kneeling before the wounded High Sorcerer, Kyp used the Force to scour through the High Sorcerer's unprepared mind. Taken off-guard by the searing pain, Roland was unable to mount an effective mental defense from this intrusion.

Quickly sifting through countless bits of information Roland's mind contained, Kyp stopped upon reaching a certain memory that the downed enemy seemed to deem crucial. Analyzing every aspect of it and committing it to memory, he departed the broken enemy's shattered labyrinth of a mind and warned Maarek, "Looks like Roland triggered a self-destruct sequence before we dealt with him. I'll get to work on shutting it down before we're all space dust."

"I'll come with you, because we still have to deal with the Rhandites' giant guardians." Maarek pointed out, handing a medic the cap of poison that would have ended the High Sorcerer's life in mere seconds before following Kyp to the bridge, observing the oppressive and infernal design of the ship, as if it was designed to be an even darker version of a Pius Dea Cathedral warship. "We can't allow the predators to destroy our fleets, nor can we let them fall back under the enemy's sway. That leaves us in a difficult position and hard choice to make."

Coming up to the bridge, Kyp sternly stated, "We're not killing the summa-verminoths if that's what you're implying. They don't deserve it just for being controlled by the enemy."

"This isn't the time for naivety and noble principles, Durron." Maarek scolded, resisting the urge to criticize Kyp for his concern for lethal predators after all the lives he snuffed out as a fallen and rogue Jedi, while following the Jedi Master's lead in deactivating the self-destruct sequence and preparing the ship to follow the Alliance fleet back to friendly territory. "If we don't put them down now, the Rhandites and Sith will just control them again and use them to massacre our allies the next go-around. Unless you have a better idea, we don't have any other options."

"Then it's a good thing I have one of those." Kyp smugly grinned before ordering Maarek, "Get us out of here while I make a few new friends for us out here."

'Why is every Jedi such an insane daredevil?' Maarek lamented while Kyp communicated with the summa-verminoths, hoping to calm their enraged minds and ensure they never fell under anyone's control ever again while gleaning valuable information of their chosen home.

0140 Hours

Sunrise System, Near Sunrise's Orbit

Aboard the Deathless

"I take it that the battle for this system is faltering miserably." Malleus drawled out.

"This is no time for snide remarks, Malleus!" Yiv angrily snapped at the human Sith Lord, nearly falling onto the hard floor from stray fire breaking through his escort's protection. before urging, "It's a full-scale war, and we're being outmaneuvered at every turn. I've already lost half my fleet to these interlopers, and we'll lose the rest before the day's over at this rate. We need immediate support if we even hope to escape the system with what prizes we've already obtained."

"I'm afraid we have another plan in mind." Irola forlornly began. "We'll get you out, but the refugees and the planet's Nyix mines, they won't be as fortunate."

"What are you… You seriously can't be considering abandoning them all to the enemy!" Yiv vehemently protested. "There's nearly nineteen million fighters down there that are willing to join us and destroy the Ascendancy, and the resources from the mines alone can-"

"Can only lead us into a protracted war which will help bleed us dry and tie up critical resources for more essential campaigns. The forces we currently have will be more than sufficient for the war against the Jedi." Malleus cruelly dismissed. "What we have planned, it will only ensure the Ascendancy's demise and allow you and all your fellow fugitives the justice you've craved for so long."

Before Yiv could attempt any kind of counterproposal, Malleus ominously warned, "I would strongly recommend you refrain from questioning this strategy any further. If not, then perhaps a few of your illicit transactions of precious resources and wealth to your occupied homeworld's resistance will fall into the wrong hands. Just imagine the fallout if your deeds become known to your fellow admirals in this grand armada and the Chiss occupiers of your territory. Your people would lose all hope they held of taking back their old power."

Gritting his teeth to keep from saying anything that could get him killed, Yiv hatefully bowed his head towards the armored Sith Lord before addressing Irola, "When should we expect your arrival?"

"No more than six hours." Irola answered, her voice laced with regret and self-loathing, indicating she hated this plan as much as Yiv did. "Be ready to withdraw what soldiers and refugees you can before we unleash our surprise on the unsuspecting Chiss. You won't have long before we're all forced to escape the coming decimation of our enemies."

'That is exactly what troubles me about all this.' Yiv bitterly lamented. The supreme commander of the Nikardun Dynasty's final remnant was many things, but even he had his limits in warfare. And laying waste to a resource-rich planet and its entire population, when virtually all its inhabitants were willing to join the great cause, with a little prodding, of course, it went against every principle and sound military doctrine he believed in. If even a few Sith were willing to employ such barbaric tactics and blackmail their own generals to keep them in line, then it was time for everyone to reconsider their loyalties.

0220 Hours

Horuset System, Korriba Scar Asteroid Belt

Inside the Sadow Asteroid-Superstructure

Within the Auxilary Hangar

Aboard the Scimitar

Observing the ever-shrinking speck of Sadow Station disappearing behind the sea of open space before her, Sorzus carefully observed every nudge Edaan made, gauging his reactions to see if any hint of his old identity remained trapped in his enhanced form.

Having been ordered by 11-4D and Wantos to watch over the One Sith's costly project and ensure no danger came before him, Sorzus found it rather difficult to concentrate considering the swarm of enemies converging on them. With the Alliance flotilla starting to break through the space station's defenses and sending boarding parties to eliminate the already-fleeing defenders, coordination and timing would need to be perfect in escaping the wide net of a trap.

As if Edaan could read Sorzus's mind, he suggested with a gruff and digitally enhanced voice, "Perhaps it would be prudent to recommend our pilot to hasten our departure. I believe I know a way to further draw the enemy in without compromising our withdrawal."

Before Sorzus could utter a response, she felt a familiar presence in the Force burn bright from within the station, one she recognized too well from her experiments on him. Turning to see Edaan, eyes closed and completely silent, she was astounded to realize he was projecting a Force signature of himself, while ensuring that he remained shrouded from any prying eyes.

Recognizing the technique as belonging to Darth Vectivus, a Banite Sith and controversial figure for his ethical approach to advancing the Great Plan but acknowledged as a genius for his developments into the Dark Side and creating the Force Phantom ability utilized by Lumiya and her associate in Dark Jedi Alema Rar during the Second Galactic Civil War, Sorzus was astonished to recognize the technique.

Remembering from her father's instruction on how the knowledge of creating a Force Phantom was known to only a few of the most powerful and trusted of Lord Krayt's followers, she was baffled to wonder how Edaan knew the technique before remembering the supercomputer implanted in his skull. Obviously, it must have contained the information necessary to duplicate the feat, and with his strengthened connection to the Force, it was an achievable feat while still retaining much of his strength.

Marveling at Edaan's perfect control while sensing how the Alliance and the Jedi took the bait, hearing from 11-4D on the increased activity around the asteroid, the droid ordered everyone to finish strapping in before takeoff, just before he triggered the self-destruct countdown for the facility. After seeing how the Palpatine scion was so immersed in his work he failed to register the warning, Sorzus quickly used the Force to strap him in before the ship readied for liftoff. It seemed some things about the former Jedi would never change, which only endeared him to her even more.

Well, anyway, in just a mere five minutes, the station would be no more, and then the One Sith could take one more step towards triumphing in this war while field-testing their newest and most powerful general. And somewhere along the way towards a great victory, Sorzus could eventually satisfy her long-buried desires of the flesh in the Jedi's former poster boy.

0230 Hours

Within Korriban's Orbit

Aboard the Retribution

Taking in the carnage that was raging across the system, Krayt could not help but feel a surge of pride at his followers for how effective they were conducting themselves against their mortal adversaries and evacuating their own young disciples.

Despite the Jedi uncovering and locating thirteen of Krayt's nineteen holding facilities before working to extract the children trapped within, that still left another six unaccounted for, allowing the One Sith to get their future out of harm's way quietly and safely. And thanks to the Sith's latest acquisition and his handlers, the destruction of Sadow Station proved to be a boon for them, obliterating at least six of the Alliance of Light's warships, seven gunships, and over three hundred of their soldiers and five Jedi.

As for the rest of his fleet, all his people were performing exceptionally well against the Alliance's armada. With the Megador and its escort fleet engaging the Sith's main force and keeping the armada off-balance with many well-placed surgical strikes, the Jedi must have expected an easy rout. The Aquilians' help in striking deeper and harder in the Dread Lord's ranks only exacerbated the situation.

Thankfully, Krayt did not train neophytes to command his navies. With each of the well-seasoned commanders responding well in executing counterstrikes to prevent the Alliance and its allies from taking full advantage of their superior arms, that allowed Krayt enough time to begin ordering the recall of his followers still fighting the Jedi deep beneath Korriban's surface.

As for Wyyrlok and his fellow wounded Sith, they would be taken care of once everyone made it to safer havens in the Unknown Regions. Much as Krayt wanted to punish the Chagrian for his failures, he knew his regent was still a capable and loyal Sith, and he could still serve the Grand Design well, after he was properly augmented and rebuilt into a renewed warrior and vanguard of destruction.

With the war between the Jedi quickly escalating and the endgame fast approaching, the One Sith would need to keep every loyal follower they could retain, especially for the climactic battle for Zonama Sekot. There, Krayt realized, was where the war between the followers of Dark and Light would be decided, and he was determined for his people to come out on top.

Sensing Zorra and his followers were still hard-pressed to eliminate the Jedi around the Sith's former base of operations, with more Aquilian and Alliance forces streaming down to corner and annihilate them all, Krayt knew it was almost time for them to cut their losses before the Jedi's obvious trap ensnared so many of his most capable followers and leaders.

How fortunate then, how he already had a plan to extract them and strike a demoralizing blow on his enemies on all fronts. Ordering his comm officer, "Get me Lady Sorzus and her new charge. I have a new mission for them and our latest general that will require both their talents to complete our victory before we finish pulling out."

0300 Hours

Bastion, Capital City

Within the Jedi Enclave

Inside the Apprentice Dormitories

"You sure got up early, Jayce. Earlier than I can ever recall, by my knowledge." Ephin graciously chuckled while observing the Jedi Apprentice hard at work in his quarters. Well-ordered with a few personal items of his choice, from several of Jayce's favorite holobooks and mementos of missions and meetings with foreign dignitaries, it was a pristine and neo-Imperial style proliferating across many youths in the Empire.

"Can't sleep." Jayce apologetically smiled while typing on his datapad. "I've been theorizing dozens of possible reforms throughout the Empire and working to lobby support from my fellow Jedi, our friends in the Fleet, and a few of your likeminded Moffs. It's really busy work."

"Just be sure to get a couple hours of rest before your meeting with Lord Repawl and his entourage. Arkanians, even reformers like him, are a tough bunch." Ephin reminded his energetic and optimistic friend. After learning how his family had agreed to consider more democratic reforms in protecting the Empire's strength and freedoms, Jayce's mood had taken a sharp turn for the better. It undoubtedly helped since the fears him of leaving his family to find his own way if they formed a ruling Jedi dynasty over the government had all but evaporated now.

"Of course." Jayce swiftly nodded, before astutely noting, "But why are you here so early, Grand Moff Sarreti? I thought your meeting with High Command was scheduled for 0500 today."

"Ah, I'm afraid it was rescheduled on account of Lord Repawl requesting my presence, and your father's acquiescence." Ephin wearily sighed. "Apparently, he has a new trade agreement to propose with my oversector that he personally asked my presence to negotiate a settlement on, so he figured he'd try to tackle both issues at once."

"Sounds ambitious." Jayce noted, before unthinkingly suggesting, "Maybe you can read my proposals sometime, if you're not too busy, of course."

Warmly smiling at his brilliantly enthusiastic friend, Ephin conceded, "Of course I'll read it, old friend. I'll be sure to give you my detailed thoughts on all points before our meeting later today."

0400 Hours

Sunrise, Southern Hemisphere

Within the Che'ri Mines

Aboard the Quarren Eye

"Tell me that everything's ready?!" Jossk desperately pressed the Wraiths. "My people are getting ripped apart out here! We can't hold out much longer, so either hurry up, or prepare to jump out of here!"

"We're broadcasting in forty seconds!" Thaymes responded from his station, having to yell to let the Senior Captain hear him over the bedlam just about to shatter the mines' last line of defenders.

Contacting the Wild Karrde and Meson Martinet, Voort warned them, "Everything better be ready to start broadcasting on your end! We've run out of time!"

"The connection to Csilla is strong, and Sidon's people are keeping the enemy off our backs. We're prepared to do all we can in ending this madness." Shada firmly answered.

"Good. Signal goes live in twenty seconds." Voort nodded while praying for the best of this last-ditch message. With his squadron ensuring the broadcast went off without any issues or disruptions, the Gamorrean squad leader kept a careful watch on the battle unfolding across the planet.

Even though the Sith-backed armadas were being hammered across every flank of this system-wide battle, the blockade frigates protecting their ground assets were holding strong against any more of the Alliance of Light's incursions and infiltration battalions. Not even the Aquilians were able to land significant numbers on any active battlefields.

And with the final five of the Chiss-controlled mines and three garrisons running critically low on arms and personnel, this desperate plea for sanity by all five Arsitocras and their two heads of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force was everyone's last chance before they were forced to adopt a scorched-earth policy against the resource-rich planet, an option no one wanted to even contemplate using.

Hearing the alarm go off, Voort brought his mind out of his reverie and keyed in the final few switches and started transmitting the signal across the planet. Now, everything was left up to the Will of the Force or whatever higher powers existed to end this fight without a massacre.

Csilla, Cssplar

Within the Expansionary Defense Fleet Garrison

Inside Supreme General Ba'Kif's Office

Staring into the holocamera that broadcasted the seven leaders across the entire Ascendancy, Ba'Kif felt a level of fear he never experienced work to consume him, not merely for himself and his friends and allies, but for everyone that put their trust in him and the Supreme Admiral. If this last plea for sanity and hope failed, then the Supreme General and his peers might as well take their own lives to avoid slavery or facing the end of all he loved.

Clearing his throat and pushing his fear aside, Ba'Kif and Ja'fosk stepped up to the lead, with the former beginning, "This is a region-wide address to all worlds and peoples of the Chiss Ascendancy. Stybla'ba'kif, Supreme Genral of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force. I, I honestly wish this address could be done in better circumstances, but time is of the essence for all of us, so I need to be quick and blunt."

"There is a cancer, a malignance, that has grown in the Ascendancy, in every layer of all its power structures and leaders, which threatens to destroy us all if we do not take immediate action to address this crisis and cut the tumor out of our system." Ja'fosk took the lead. "Over the past five millennia, the Ruling and Great Families, the Syndicature, and Aristocracy, have manipulated many, played the role of power brokers, and subverted the Defense Fleet in is sacred mission of protecting the Ascendancy from all manner of dangers out in the Chaos."

"But the defense force is not blameless in all this. Our divided loyalties between family and fleet have often put us in difficult positions, and our rigid adherence to tradition and strict loyalty to the chain of command have left us vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by countless enemies. Without the daring and honor of a few brave souls willing to risk their lives and position for us, I have little doubt the Ascendancy would be destroyed many times over or allied and enslaved to foreign powers that have no respect for our borders or way of life."

"Unfortunately, this is not an abstract of theoretical issue, but a real plague that is eating the Ascendancy from within and without." At this point, the Aristocras came forward, and Shah'adram'illithyr mournfully started, "It has become known to us that Syndic Xodlak'li'eara, in her role of overseeing the Sunrise mines and immigration center, covertly and in full awareness of the illegality of her actions, enslaved over twenty million refugees in mining the Nyix deposits to use in construction of a secret war fleet."

"This abomination and abuse of power was intended to be used by Xodlak'li'eara as a bargaining chip for the Xodlak Great Family to try and regain their status as a Ruling Famoly, as testified by the surviving soldiers of her command that she abandoned upon the Sith and Nikardun war fleets that have descended upon the planet. And the refugees, after being abused and neglected by the powers that were meant to protect them, have been manipulated by the Sith into triggering a planetwide insurrection against the soldiers, with only a small fraction of those unfortunate souls deciding against lending their strength to the invaders."

"While we are working to track down and bring Xodlak'li'eara in to have her face justice for her, for our…" Hesitating, struggling to find the best words for this, Sev'eere'nuruodo generously took over.

"What my colleague and good friend is trying to say is that it only underscores the horrific plague that has swept over the Ascendancy and demonstrates how broken and rotten our institutions have become because of people and organizations that are more concerned with holding onto power than serving the people we all swore to protect. Because of this, we are calling on all Chiss of every power structure, citizens, military, and political, to rise to the challenge and have faith a little longer. While we are at war with the Sith and their allies, the military's efforts will be focused on keeping them away from all our worlds and all of you."

"But that does not mean we will do nothing to try and rectify the gross abuses of power that have become so prevalent in our system. Every one of us, along with our staff and those that stand with us in the Syndicature and Military, we will be working with the civilians in reexamining and reforming our power structures, our institutions to prevent such a travesty from every happening again. And we will be learning from our neighbors and allies in how to better work with others and consider new ideas, while becoming the public servants our ancestors meant for us to be."

Ba'Kif took over again, adopting a kind and compassionate expression before continuing, "And last, but certainly not least, this address is to the people of Sunrise, who have every right to resent and hate us for our neglect in seeing the injustices wrought upon you by one of our own. Prosecuting the fugitive and all her accomplices will be the least we can do for you, but it will not stop there."

"With the assistance of our allies across the galaxy, and the generosity of the Ruling Families and Syndics, we will be delivering the first of many relief supplies to the planet to work on alleviating the suffering you've been forced to endure for so long. And we will be sending thousands of evaluators to help uplift you from your unforgiveable conditions by giving you a chance to make a better life for you and your loved ones. There will be many jobs and positions soon available within the Ascendancy soon, and they will need passionate and brave souls like yourselves in keeping us on the straight and narrow."

"I beg of you, we beg of you, please stop this rebellion and slaughter of all who stand against you. If you continue to stand with the Sith, then it will only lead to your destruction, whether to betrayal by abandonment, experimentation, or use as cannon fodder, they will only seek to use and one day discard you, just as former Syndic Xodlak'li'eara did." Ba'Kif desperately concluded, praying with all his heart that the embittered civilians would heed his words. "All we ask is for you to give us the chance to atone for our negligence and tolerance of these rampant abuses of power."

0430 Hours

Korriban, Sith Catacombs

Just Outside Darth Krayt's Citadel

In the spur of a moment, the pitched battle between light and dark shifted yet again, this time turning towards the Sith with such ferocity and speed that it could have very well deafened their enemies to the Force if the burst of power was any stronger. Not even Master Saa's and her disciples' noble efforts were enough to blunt this unfathomable surge of energy, allowing the Sith and their thralls to take advantage of the distraction to cut a bloody swath through their enemies' ranks, ripping through at least thirty Aquilian Paladins at first, and allowing the Sith to maim and slice apart dozens of the remaining survivors afterwards.

And Tau was horrified and consumed with regret upon realizing he knew just who was responsible to realize who now served the One Sith. He should have helped strengthen Edaan's mental defenses rather than assist the Sith's efforts, no matter what Ahsoka's Celestial-backed plans to counter the brainwashing entailed. But there would be time for self-recrimination later, provided anyone was able to live past today's massacre.

Right now, Tau and all his allies needed to fight to reach and surpass all their limits just to keep the light of hope alive in the Alliance of Light's ranks. And that event was becoming ever more likely with each passing moment they remained trapped underneath the planet's network of tombs. Sporting a healthy score of lightsaber burns across his torso, limbs, and face, with Phasma faring little better with them both up against a reenergized Zorra, he knew that time was running out to find a way out of this dire disaster.

And Tau and Phasma were not the only ones starting to buckle under the mounting pressure. Across each miniature battlefield, the Sith were pressing their advantage against their outnumbered and beleaguered adversaries, with the toll of battle starting to wear on each team of unlikely heroes. With each of them having held their own against the Sith before this terrible surge, now they were being overwhelmed on all sides, Alliance and Jedi falling one after another or being horribly maimed.

Not even Jaina and Jaden's elite duos escaped the carnage, with the former losing her left hand's ring and little fingers from a lightsaber strike aimed at her arm, and Robonino suffering many minor burns from lightning strikes he intercepted to protect his friend and teammate.

To make matters worse, Inferno Squad had gone silent on all frequencies, with SCAR Squad 99 vanishing as well, not even able to be sensed through the Force. If either or both teams were destroyed, it only left an unknown factor that could devastate either faction at the worst-possible time. Regrettably, as hard-pressed as the Alliance was now, they could not spare the effort to look for them, only hope that they found a way to survive and make their way back to the Alliance. At this point, only a miracle could save those that remained alive and fighting down here.

0500 Hours

Korriban, One Kilometer Underneath the Valley of the Dark Lords

Aboard the Pelta-class Medical Frigate Remembrance

Even while being pumped full of pain suppressants and unable to move his lower torso, Wyyrlok's connection to the Force and razor-sharp mind remained undiminished, and he was anxious for the outcome of this battle raging across the star system, among several other serious concerns for the One Sith.

With their evacuation fleet painstakingly and slowly navigating its way through evacuation tunnels built just for this type of emergency, preparing to make for the surface on the dark side of Korriban's surface before attempting to flee the system altogether for safer havens, Wyyrlok was desperate to do anything to assist his people and start to redeem himself for his two gross failures of late. Having been informed by the doctors of Krayt's displeasure for him, he knew this might be his last chance to serve him and advance the Grand Design. Otherwise, he would be useless to the One Sith and disposed of accordingly for his vulnerability, an outcome he would do virtually anything to avoid.

While the fleet made its slow trek to the surface, Wyyrlok was making himself useful by calculating the hyperspace routes for the fleet's long journey to the Rakatan Archipelago while guiding the medics in aiding the critically injured patients. If he were to be executed soon, just as he dreaded, then at least he could do some good by ensuring that others lived to fight another day while avoiding his horrific disasters.

And chief among his worries was for his daughter, trapped aboard Sadow Station with many others while everyone else fought for their very existence, and Wyyrlok was helpless to do anything to save the one person he genuinely cared for since his wife perished years ago. If the opportunity arose, he would do what he could to save Sorzus and all those that served the Dread Lord, for little mattered more to the Voice of the Sith than his love for his daughter, along with loyalty and honor to all and their shared great cause of Lord Krayt's.

0530 Hours

Within the Great Western Sea

Inside the Brasmin Estate

"Have you found the opening we need, Mr. Brasmin?" Fyor asked Solomon after being called out from his chambers into the Brasmin patriarch's personal library. Observing many servants and most of Solomon's family working diligently in the makeshift command center, with several dozen datapads and computers being used to scour through countless terabytes of data, he was impressed with everyone's dedication and efficiency to the task at hand.

"Not a way into the prison. But I believe I've come up with the next best thing." Solomon corrected. "I've figured out exactly where Chief of State Yimmon is hiding these days."

Tensing at the unexpected disclosure, Fyor cautiously asked, "How?"

"A few anomalies here and there that some of my people looked into." Solomon began. "Many GAS agents around the Coco District, unusual comm chatter coming from a few proprietaries in the area, and many odd folks coming and going out of there, just to name a few."

Fyor, reading through the information provided to him, acknowledged, "An interesting find, I admit. But how does this aid us in our mission?"

"What do you think will happen if every Coruscanti and leader in the GA's capital world believes someone is gunning for their most highly-placed leader?" Solomon quizzically started.

"They'll pull every resource and soldier into hunting for them and…" Fyor stopped, realizing this fleeting opportunity, and instead cautioned Solomon, "A bold plan. But you do realize, of course, that an assassination attempt will put the entire planet into lockdown, and our targets will be even harder to break out."

"Not if we are ready to strike just as they rush to protect their leader." Solomon corrected. "It will be close, but with Kar'sk's people and our friends backing us up, we'll have a strong chance of success."

Pondering the proposal, Fyor finally nodded his agreement, "Perhaps. It's at least worth looking into. Maybe we'll find a few possible friends inside Yimmon's ranks if we look close enough or spread a little chaos in his ranks to aid in our great escape."

"Glad you agree." Solomon smiled before growing anxious and whispered, "We need to hurry this up before we have to break camp."

Eyes presenting Fyor's fear, the ex-Prime Minister softly questioned, "How close are they?"

"Far too close for my liking. The Jedi's supercomputers in their temple got too close to our systems too many times for my liking, and my agents have seen a few suspicious ships patrolling the sea. They're starting to ready the net to throw down on us."

Sighing, Fyor agreed, "Make the necessary preparations, and have our agents do all they can to divert their focus and get your distraction for Yimmon underway."

0550 Hours

Within the 7G Sector

Aboard the Chiss Star Destroyer Striker

"Sir, we're receiving priority reports from Sunrise." A comms officer told Vurawn, handing him a datapad. "It seems to be that things are looking up for our allies out there."

Quickly reading through the contents, Vurawn was pleased that the situation on Sunrise was beginning to stabilize. With the Aristocras and two heads of the Chiss Defense Fleet addressing the armed refugees that had fallen under the Sith's sway, the enemy's momentum was beginning to stall as the planetary mob was hesitating to continue the fight, willing to listen to the seven leaders' calls to stand down now that their desperate cries for relief had at last been heard. Without their dupes, the Sith's offensive would collapse, and the instigators would soon face justice for using such displaced sentients as cannon fodder.

But as a relief this news was, it was not the boon Vurawn had been hoping for, aside from the faint hope that Yiv or one of the other high-ranking Sith commanders were captured and persuaded to give up the Rakata remnant's strongholds and refuges. That was the secret redoubt the Chiss clone was searching for in one of the deepest recesses of the Chaos, a lead for the Rakatan Archipelago mentioned many times in what few high-ranking prisoners the Jedi coalition held and what precious scant files their warships were currently divulging.

And there was a certain political enemy of the Chiss that Vurawn hoped to get his hands on before he could do anymore damage to those he loved so dearly. The Miskara, the Vagaari's leader and now-exiled collaborator with the One Sith, he was one of the few confirmed individuals in all the galaxy to know exactly where the One Sith's most recent allies hid away. This information, coupled with the star charts and data from the Sith collaborator's personal data libraries, gave out all his hideouts and refugees across the Chaos, which made him a priority target for the various allied powers to capture and interrogate.

But first, he had to find the Miskara, and that was a task he knew he would find to be more tedious than all his worst estimates combined. Searching the star systems that surrounded the despoiled world of Ilum was going to be an arduous assignment, yet a crucial one in ending the Sith's threat to the galaxy. While the Alliance of Light, Chiss Ascendancy, and Aquillian Republic worked to keep the Sith at bay and eliminating their networks of strongholds and agents across the Chaos, Vurawn and a select group of his most-trusted officers and scouts would pursue all possible leads in locating Krayt's most prized fortresses and set the stage for their capture or destruction.

Ordering his XO, Vurawn requested, "Have the rest of our scout fleets report their progress to me by 1200 Hours and be sure to press upon them the absolute necessity of leaving no stone unturned in this hunt, no matter how insignificant any minor detail might seem."

Quickly recalling another detail, Vurawn stopped the officer and quietly asked, "Have we located the precise coordinates of Haplif, his followers, and their Sith escort?"

"Yes, sir. Intelligence and our outsider allies were extraordinarily crucial in putting the pieces together. I've issued High Command to assemble a task force to capture or eliminate them immediately, on your order." The captain informed him.

Having had his best agents go through the Miskara's personal library on Vagar Praxut after the Vagaari leader's escape from justice, Vurawn and the Alliance were horrified to learn that the Agbui under their top information kingpin were in fact, secret Sith acolytes. Trained to hone their telepathic abilities and innate skills in plotting and scheming to their peak, in addition to the same skills and training virtually every other Sith was required to undergo, each Agbui Sith was in fact a one-man war cabinet, and Haplif had seven of them working directly under him, subtly influencing the minds of the refugees to amplify their anger and bitterness to devastating effect.

But now, with much of the armed mob beginning to stand down, it would not be long before the Sith ordered their members to take full control of the misguided souls and massacre all opposition, unless immediate countermeasures were undertaken.

"Do it. But first, check and see if we can pull a few Jedi, Aquilians, and Alliance commandos to assist us in this hunt. If we can bring them to justice alive, then it will only help our pledge of reform and assist us in better mapping out the enemy's network. And more importantly, aside from saving Sunrise, we would be remiss to risk underestimating the Sith and risk undermining everyone's trust in this grand coalition."

0615 Hours

Coruscant Orbit

Within the Bantha-class assault shuttle Intrepid

"Sirs, we're trying to reach the Jedi in their temple, but all comms in their old headquarters have been silent." The shuttle's pilot warned married ambassadors Wynn and Desha Dorvan. "It's possible that planetary storms are interfering with the signal."

Human and Twi'lek couple glancing at each other, both suspected what was really occurring within the Jedi's hallowed grounds and were grateful in leaving Honoghr twelve hours ahead of schedule. While Wynn pulled out his comlink to reach Kajin, Desha took the initiative and ordered, "Try it again, but use this key code to reach Director Slane, Grand Master Katarn, or Master Solusar."

Inputting the data card and trying again, the officer quickly responded, "I've got a signal. It's faint, but secure. I'm patching it through now."

"You sure picked the perfect time to call in!" Kirney irritably yelled back. "Just hurry up and get down here before the Sith reduce this place to a giant pile of rubble! I'll keep the main hangar doors open and lock the controls." Before anyone could ask anything, Kirney closed the comm channel, leaving the GA officials with many more questions than answers.

But what was clear was that there wasn't any time to waste. Wynn, ending his communication with the Chief of State, immediately commanded the officer, "Take us in with all possible speed, and alert the Joint Chiefs to cordon off all non-essential traffic around the Temple. I need to tell all crews that they're heading straight into combat the moment we land."

0630 Hours

Within the Perann Nebula, Inside the Nihil Retreat

Rhand, In the Capital City Ro

Inside the Rhandites' Grand Cathedral

Kung'urama'nuruodo, having meditated in his personal chambers for the last two days after he finished giving orders to his followers, opened his bloodshot red eyes, surrounded by dozens of purple veins as evidence to his dedication to the Way of the Dark, and telekinetically pulled his personal datapad and a tray of small morsels of food and a glass of water towards him.

Slowly sipping and eating the tray's contents, a normal test for his restraint and dedication to primordial ruin for all lives before finished the liquid beverage after five minutes, the Chiss ex-Jedi turned Grand Sorcerer typed to his elite followers, taking his time compiling his message and sending it to the ten active High Sorcerers that were overseeing the Rhandites' preparations for war.

With the Alliance capturing Roland and his ship, the Sorcerers needed to rework their strategy, and quickly too, before any further complications arose. How Kyp Durron and his allies managed to survive his trap might seem impossible for most to comprehend, Kung'urama'nuruodo knew it was because he underestimated the Jedi and their friends' resourcefulness and strength.

But one thing Kung'urama'nuruodo excelled at was learning from his mistakes and planning for the coming retaliation. When the enemy eventually returned to his latest home in greater numbers than before, he would help them see the cost of their endeavors by sending an undeniable message and continue accelerating the rise of the Beloved Queen of the Stars and destroying Roland for failing so miserably at his single task.

Abeloth's fast approaching return, in all her glory and omnipotence while being backed up by her growing legions, masterful acolytes and generals, and unbeatable great designs, would eventually lead to her ascension as the sole divine being worthy of worship by all sentient beings, and he was going to be a part of the effort, no matter what or whom he had to sacrifice.

0715 Hours

Just Outside the Sunrise System

Aboard the Conquest

Within its Command Bridge

"My Lady, you cannot show weakness now of all times. If any of your fellow Sith, Malleus especially, find you like this-"

"I couldn't care less about that bloodthirsty and genocidal idiot!" Irola vehemently interrupted her XO's worried plea, thankful he ordered all officers to clear the bridge as the Sith Lady's composure started to crack, "If we don't figure out an alternative by the end of the hour, we're going to have an entire planet's population on our heads, and the entire galaxy will either destroy us or be left a smoking ruin if we win! Either way, we'll prove our enemies right and be known as hypocrites in every possible way."

Looking at her longtime friend, Irola recalled, "When we joined the One Sith, our goals were to restore order and stability to a war-torn galaxy while preparing to fight all those that stood against our noble goals and agents of chaos. Nothing in the Grand Design suggested using the same wasteful fanaticism that doomed Dician and her operations, nor to try and create a civil war in the Chiss Ascendancy and make our jobs a bit easier."

"I agree, but what would you have us do to stop this defeat?" The XO challenged her. "If we don't do something, then General Yiv and all his fleets will be destroyed, and our position out here will be that much more unstable."

Seeing the projection of the battle underway around the system's sole planetary body, Irola knew the direness of Yiv's predicament. With much of the Sith's ground armies standing down thanks to the Chiss's desperate turnaround of policy and the Alliance pressing the attack against the many emerging fractures of the Nikardun-led blockade, allowing dropships and relief supplies to reach the planet and its desperate defenders, Yiv and his fellow commanders were finding themselves short on friends and options.

Running through the scenarios in her mind, Irola remembered everything that led her to this pivotal moment. Having raided and destroyed the Xodlak Great Family's illicit shipyards that housed their Syndic's private fleet, created from the illegally gained wealth of Sunrise's Nyix mines and constructed by millions of laborers scattered across the Great Family's strongholds, Irola would have used the newly acquired fleet to strike at all their rival families and stoke tensions between the dozens of power bases that made up the Ascendancy.

Having already captured the woman who was to be the scapegoat for it all, Syndic Xodlak'li'eara, Aklie was set up to be the perfect example of the Chiss woman's corruption, arrogance, and self-interest that would doom their people to the dustbin of irrelevance and servitude to the Grand Design. But thanks to Malleus virtually taking over the entire operation for one of his bloodthirsty and egotistical schemes, that operation was scuttled. And instead, the One Sith would soon be no better than its predecessors in disrespecting its allies and sacrificing all morals in pursuit of absolute power, which would be its inevitable downfall as it caused all other Sith Lords and each of their empires.

Well, maybe it was time for Irola to take matters into her own hands and salvage this coming disaster with a bit of unconventionality she had used throughout her entire life. Malleus might have the authority to lead this region, but she commanded the fleets and its people, and now the Force would soon judge who was right in their cause. And if Lord Krayt deemed her the traitor after all was said and done, at least she would have the comfort of knowing she did all she could to preserve the Sith's honor and true mission while helping to win the war and keeping the enemy's infrastructure intact.

Hugging her friend in gratitude for standing by her side, Irola graciously said, "Thank you, old friend. But I'm going to need your help in correcting a terrible bit of negligence on my part."

"What do you need me to do?" The XO loyally asked.

"Contact each of our fleet's commanding officers under my personal frequency. Tell them I need to speak with them right away, but make sure they know to use discretion. Malleus cannot know anything about even one of their sudden disappearances."

"I'll do so immediately." The commander saluted, a ghost of a smile crossing his lips at his old superior and friend doing what she did best and finding her old drive again. If his hunch was correct, the onetime New Republic insurgent leader was ready to use her old training and unconventional methods to her fullest.

0730 Hours

Hyperspace, On Route to the Horuset System

Aboard the Phoenix Whirlwind

"We're about to reach Korriban." Allana solemnly informed Adari, whose tension could easily be felt reverberating through the Force in such a small ship. "We'll be reverting to realspace in ten minutes, and not a minute too soon. Comm traffic's through the roof, and reports are coming in that we're taking heavy casualties on all sides. The Megador is apparently giving us its precise coordinates and clearance codes to their primary hangar, followed by an immediate meeting with General Farlander and his command staff." Hesitating, she gently asked, "Have you found him?"

Straining to hear Adari's soft panting, Allana turned to see her crying while staring out into the bright and endless expanse of hyperspace. Struggling to find the words, Adari eventually whispered to herself, her voice broken and tattered as her heart, "Oh, Edaan. What have they done to you, my love?"

"What do you sense?" Allana worriedly pressed.

"They've done what they wanted to do and set him loose on us." Adari painfully answered. "I'm trying to reach him through our bond, but it's all so… twisted and wrong. The Dark Side, it's all but taken him now. I can barely sense the flicker of good still fighting to stay alive inside him, shrouded by a sea of dark fog."

"Do you know where he is?" Allana carefully asked, hiding her terror beneath both a regal and Jedi calm she had built through her years with both the Order and serving as heiress to a galactic monarchy.

"Aboard what looks to be a twisted version of a church ship, but I don't recognize the design. I wish I could give you more information there." Adari regrettably apologized.

"You don't have to be. I think I know exactly which warship you're talking about now." Allana reassured Adari, remembering the Retribution and its previous role in the attack on Dathomir, and contemplating how the Force must have a twisted sense of humor to have Edaan back aboard that horrendous vessel.

Resisting the urge to press for more information, seeing how distraught Adari already was, Allana chose to console her, "We'll get him back. But you need to try and stay focused and keep a cool head, or you're no good to anyone out here."

"I know. This isn't the first hopeless battle or war I've been a part of." Adari breathed out, painfully rubbing her abdomen, "I just hope we're not too late to save him."

'You and me both.' Allana silently agreed, starting to regret bringing her pregnant friend to such a heated battlefield. If they both survived beyond the next few days, she knew she'd have to endure a long and withering chat by her family and fellow Jedi on taking better responsibility for a pregnant teammate and endangering an unborn child's life.

0735 Hours

Korriban, Sith Catacombs

Just Outside Darth Krayt's Citadel

'It can't end like this. I won't let it.' Tau desperately railed against the inevitability of fatal defeat. With Zorra nearly electrocuting Phasma into unconsciousness and batting away the Sith-bred clone's lightsaber, all that had kept him alive was his agility and allowing the Force to guide his every move.

But now, with Zorra having immobilized his weary enemy and ready to deliver the final blow, Tau could not figure a way to stop his impending death. Facing fatigue in every cell of his body from depleting his reserves through nearly twenty hours of nonstop combat, he knew he currently lacked the strength to break free. And with his compatriots in a similar state of nearing collapse while being drained by the omniscient shroud of the Dark Side from both the planet and Edaan, it seemed the end had come for all that dared trespass in this ancient Sith sanctum.

Surprising Tau, Zorra reluctantly admitted, "A shame I can't prolong yours' and my sister's suffering, but I have an appointment to keep, and a war to help win." But to Tau's observant eye, he saw how the Sith Lord was minutely shaking in his legs, barely able to stay on his two feet from how much energies he expended in the fight. It was probable that once he killed Tau, he would collapse from the overwhelming exhaustion alone and be vulnerable to someone else.

And spotting Phasma's lightsaber situated right near its owner a few inches away, he saw a way to take at least one more Sith with him to meet oblivion. Ready to use the weapon to impale Zorra from his blind spot, everyone was surprised when giant Aquilian drill fortress could be seen coming out from the core of the Sith's citadel.

Momentarily taken back by the blast, Zorra released his hold of Tau, allowing the determined clone to instead grab his lightsaber from Zorra's belt and ram himself right into his stomach, causing the Sith Lord to retch several swallows' worth of bodily fluids before Tau hit him with his lightsaber pommel, knocking him out cold and quite possibly breaking his nose.

Much as he wanted to end Zorra's life personally, Tau knew that task would fall to Phasma, provided the Sith somehow managed to survive past this day. Hatefully and tiredly staring at the unconscious human, he pantingly scolded him, "Never get distracted during a fight."

Falling to his knees, crawling over to Phasma, he pulled out his last two med-stims, and injected one into her, causing her to gasp from the medical drug's effects rebuilding her strength. But before he could do the same for himself, he collapsed into unconsciousness, all the while swearing he felt Vestara, her teams, and Inferno Squad coming out from the citadel's gaping entrance and engaging the Sith on their most exposed flank. Either he was suffering delusions from his drained strength, or a miracle had at last come.

Korriban Orbit

Above the Retribution

'Zorra has failed you, Dread Lord.' Ship simply informed Krayt.

"He's dead?" The leading Sith Lord confirmed.

'No. For some reason, Tau left him alive, but Zorra is completely drained of all his strength.' Ship clarified. 'All the ships are in place for our last surprise for the Jedi, and our final evacuation ships are ready to rescue the rest of your planetside followers. They merely await your word.'

"Do it." Krayt ordered, ready to finally begin the next phase of this war. Just a couple more hours at most, and Korriban would be left behind at last, and the One Sith would truly begin to take their place as the galaxy's sole ruling power.

'There is one more factor I believe you should be aware of.' Ship interrupted. 'Jedi Allana Djo Solo and Adari Thayn Palpatine are about to arrive in the system.'

'Good.' Krayt stoically acknowledged. 'Then I will let Sorzus and Edaan deal with them to ensure they either fall into our hands or are destroyed before they can impede our work any further.'

Well, that ends the first chapter of the year 2023. I hope it was to your satisfaction and you all have plenty of constructive advice to give. And I hope you enjoyed the appeal the Chiss made to their people, as it has many real-world implications and applications as well. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. But before I forget, I'll explain Inferno Squad's disappearance in the next chapter, so don't think I'll leave that part out. So, how are you doing on this warm night of Thursday, January 5, 2023? I'm well, if a bit nervous from the events going on in Washington, D.C., among other things, but I'm going to hope for the best and pray hard. And I worked a 7-hour shift today, and it was pretty good. I'm glad to be back to work. Oh, and I've begun rereading Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader to help improve my writing. Hopefully, I learn a bit from reading through these combat scenes. Well, I guess that's everything I have to say for now. I hope you all have a blessed night and stay safe and sane in these dark times. May the Lord be with us all, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!