Hey, everyone. How are you all doing on this warm morning of Friday, February 24, 2023? I'm well if a bit winded and sweaty from yard work a little while ago. But on the bright side, I have the day off from work to rest up for a big day tomorrow, and because there was so little to do at the bookstore today. Which means I'm going to use it well by publishing a few chapters and reading more of a good Star Wars book. So, I recently got feedback from an acquaintance of mine, and he gave me the idea of breaking up my completed interlude chapters into smaller ones, just so it doesn't cram the story up too much and overwhelm casual readers. It works for me, and I'll have to consider how to apply it going forward. And since I currently have at least five interlude chapters ready for publishing, after I revise them and break them up accordingly, I'll soon be able to publish them all. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you please leave a review that has plenty of constructive advice. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times across the world, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

1500 Hours, Selona 16th, 59 ABY

Bastion, Imperial Capital

Darth Invidious was a man who felt especially jubilant today, at least to Ochi's observant eyes. Having successfully assassinated the Dread Lord's greatest obstacle towards subverting the Empire and leaving another lasting scar of the cost of opposing their betters, the Arkanian, his acolytes, and their prized proxy took a moment to finally catch their breath. Of course, it helped that they could finally eat something other than rations bars and drink stale water before planning their escape, that was an excellent morale booster.

Having ambushed and bound a family of a modest estate, the Sith took advantage of their position in the city's middle district and connections in the Imperial HoloNet bureau to send a covert signal to the Bestoon Legacy. While Ochi sent the signal for his vessel and the Mandalorian colonel's stolen ship, he took a moment to consider his next move.

Over the last three days, Ochi had taken a great deal of time to think about Invidious and his strategy, and too much was out of place for the Vahla's liking. Why would Lord Krayt and his best disciples want to ensure a Jedi dynasty took charge of one of the most militant power in the galaxy after wounding the Empire? Sure, if infiltrated and undermined from within, it could be the basis of a new strategy for the One Sith to reestablish their dominance over the galaxy. But if that were simply the case for the contingency, then did that mean Krayt doubted if this strategy would fail?

Deciding to act on his instincts, the Jedi hunter sent his carefully constructed addendum out along with the original mission report to the Retribution, wherever it might be. If there was more going on that could jeopardize the One Sith and the Grand Design, Ochi wanted to find out and rectify it. Consequences be damned, he wouldn't let all his people suffered by the Jedi be for nothing.

But immediately after Ochi sent the message, the door to the estate slammed open, and he pulled out a dagger to eliminate the intruder before sensing just who it was. Seeing Lanvorak angrily glance at everyone, Ochi was prepared to intervene when the Pantoran hatefully spat out towards Invidious, "You couldn't have chosen an easier hideout to get to, could you? The skies are full of gunships and destroyers, and checkpoints are established at virtually every junction and street. I was barely able to drop off the payload inside the Imps' headquarters before I had to ditch our original rendezvous point."

"Did you leave anything behind that could trace them back to here?" Invidious addressed his agent, not phased at all by Lanvorak's outbursts and acting like they never happened.

"Everything I couldn't carry, I burnt to cinders." Lanvorak irritably assured the Sith Lord. "Now, how long do we have before we can do the same for these stooges and leave this broken world behind?"

"Soon." Invidious enigmatically answered. "A few days, at most. If we try to leave right now, then the Imperials and their Jedi overlords will sweep us out of existence. We need to time this carefully, and not act rashly."

Almost certain Invidious was directing that as much at Ochi as at Lanvorak and the rest of the acolytes, the Vahla knew investigating Invidious was now of paramount importance. It was a loose end he needed to resolve, to see just whom the Arkanian truly served, and if he needed to be eliminated.

1900 Hours

Shedu Maad, Jedi Temple

Within the Temple's Operations Planning Center, the Order's headquarters for all its activities, an emergency summit was underway. From every corner of the galaxy, the members of the Jedi Council assembled, their numbers thinned by the ongoing war against the One Sith, the deaths of Streen and Seba Sabatyne keenly missed by all in these dark times. And with several others still nursing bitter wounds from the last few days of battle on each of their fronts, it was clear new blood would soon be needed to ensure the august body survived past this war.

But fortunately, the Jedi Council would not be the only ones attending this emergency conference. Throughout the chamber, over two dozen holograms were all active, with representatives from all factions in the Alliance of Light attending, including several high-profile leaders and fighters, whose counsel would each be crucial for reconfiguring the coalition's strategy as the war shifted course.

And starting this meeting was the leader of the Mandalorian people, Boba Fett, who bluntly asked, "Where do we go from here? We know where the Sith are regrouping and amassing their forces, but they undoubtedly have the upper hand in this war. Unless we change our entire strategy, we won't last much longer."

"Accurately put, Mand'alor, if rather tactless." Azzim Anjilic Atirue, a young Hutt lord and rising but controversial figure by his people for his reformist policies and strong ties with the Jedi and other legitimate governments, guardedly observed. "I'd have thought you'd be pleased for the death of Belok Rhal and the shattering of his Neo Death Watch movement."

"They're inconsequential pawns when compared with Krayt's true allies." Fett simply rebuffed. "What we need to do now is prepare to fight back and rebuild our ranks before the enemy gets what they're after."

"That may be, but we cannot forget the overwhelming disadvantage we are under. Perhaps we need more than to simply alter our tactics. If the Sith know how we think and fight, then we ought to look for people and forces that Krayt is unfamiliar with to counter their intimate knowledge of us." Denjax Teppler, the prime minister of Corellia and the Confederation's ambassador to the Alliance of Light, carefully suggested.

"And just where do we look for these supposed new allies?" Han witheringly asked his fellow Corellian. "We've rallied every major power and have called upon every faction that is friendly with us, and I doubt there's many others that are willing to join this mad war."

"Not quite." Luke softly countered. "I have a number of old friends and assets to call upon, allies I am already in the process of reaching out to. We're not out of options yet."

"So, you've been harboring secrets yet again, Skywalker?" Fett suspiciously questioned.

"Not in the way you might be thinking, Fett." Kyle defended for former Grand Master. "We've been trying to normalize relations with the outlying worlds, isolated sectors, and all manner of powerful groups, and Luke and his agents have been working to build a network of trust between these disparate groups for just this sort of occasion."

"We can argue over the Jedi's secrets and initiative later, Mandalore Fett." Kajin diplomatically suggested. "Right now, we need to prepare our forces to journey to the Unknown Regions, and that will take up to a month, at most."

"Then perhaps we can give our Korriban fleets a week or so of shore leave." Tau added. Getting several suspicious glares, he elaborated, "We can't just send everyone from one grueling battlefield to another without a bit of recovery. After what we all went through back on Korriban, I imagine many people will need counseling to process the horrors they saw back there, never mind rest their weary bodies. And if we act too hastily, we'll only be playing into Krayt's hands."

"There is one more matter we should discuss." Cilghal carefully interjected. "The matter of the Esh-Kha commandos that fought with the Sith on Korriban."

"What about them?" Kajin curiously inquired. "I thought the Sith brainwashed them to fight in their name. Do you have evidence to the contrary?"

"No. But the Council may know of a way to save the remainder of their number from fighting the wrong war while preparing the remnant to rebuild and assist us when the time comes to fight Abeloth again." The Mon Calamari healer began. "It'll involve releasing a few of their commanders and elite squads to instruct us in their tactics while shielding their minds from Sith influence."

"Fight fire with fire." Thexan mused on the old maxim, with the elder Aquilian leader noting, "Dangerous, but it makes sense, provided they're overseen accordingly. But what about the Chiss? From the reports my people are intercepting, they're teetering on the edge of civil war and a full-scale invasion."

"Which is why we should send what and whom we can to assist them in fortifying their outward defenses, and a few advisors and resources to give them time to clean house and rebuild trust with their people." Jaina advised. "We already have a few advance teams working alongside the Ascendancy to purging itself of its corruption, and we need to give them the support they need while maintaining trust in the Chiss to put themselves back in order."

'Assuming we can even give them a chance.' Jaina privately lamented. Terrified for her husband and children and for the Jedi and their allied powers risking collapse from pressure on all sides and their failures in upholding their oaths, she wondered yet again if this was a losing battle. But remembering her oath to the Jedi and all free peoples of the galaxy, and the lives at risk from the Sith's subversive campaign, and her family counting on a victory, she steeled herself to continue fighting.

One more war, just a little more giving for the galaxy, then Jaina Solo Fel would see if it would allow her to take something back in return.

0500 Hours, Selona 17th, 59 ABY

Sunrise System

Aboard the Cal Omas

Bitter defeat and cautious hope. Those were the five words that best summed up the situation for the free powers of the galaxy in the outskirts of the Chiss Ascendancy's spheres of influence. With thousands, if not tens of thousands, of various ships, from medical and bulk convoys, salvaging tugs, and rescue craft, traveling around the Sunrise System to make the most of this disaster, the Alliance of Light, Empire of the Hand, Aquilian Republic, and Chiss Ascendancy were desperate to shore up their defenses and atone for the sins of the latter's gross abuses of its citizens.

After the One Sith and their thralls outmaneuvered their enemies by destroying most of Sunrise's Nyix mines and making off with not only the Xodlak Great Family's illegal fleet and ill-gotten wealth, but with over eleven million refugees that willingly agreed to take up arms against their former custodians, everyone was desperate to ensure the last eight million and four hundred thousand did not try to join their wayward kinsman and friends.

And the Galactic Alliance was pulling more than its fair share of weight, with their Dac-made Super Star Destroyer and much of its fleet sharing many of their reserves to the civilian volunteers and privateers, who would then distribute them equitably to the Chiss's new civilians.

Vice Admiral Kral Nevil was personally overseeing these developments while assisting and offering his insight where he could, wanting to set a good example for his men and show the Ascendancy a better way to lead than simply through machinations and through ages-old traditions.

Offhandedly leaning against a supply crate while on a small hydration break, Kral wondered how his auxiliaries were faring under the command of Admiral Chaf Parck of the Empire of the Hand while he carried out the reprisal raids against the One Sith's network of forward outposts. Knowing these small engagements were meant to prepare the four allied powers for the inevitable and decisive battle against the Sith and their proxies, the Quarren leader could not help but feel dread at knowing how so many of his soldiers, perhaps even himself, would not survive the coming months.

But this war had to be fought, unless the galaxy wanted to fall under Sith dominion that would make Darth Sidious's Galactic Empire look tame by comparison. With the dark allies Darth Krayt and his followers had amassed, the corruptive practices he used in breaking and creating his most powerful Sith, and the demented sciences and alchemies they used, if they reigned supreme, it would be a repeat of the Dark Empire of the reborn Palpatine for all of time.

Chugging down a few more gulps of water, Kral knew such ruminations would serve no one now. There was work to be done, and refugees to relocate to many worlds in the Ascendancy, where they would find new homes and make new lives for themselves away from the misery and abuses that belonged to Sunrise. It would be an arduous enterprise, but it was long overdue, and the least the Chiss could do to make up for one of their own's corruption and virtual enslavement of them.

After that noble endeavor was accomplished, then the Alliance could fully devote itself to the war at hand. Kral only hoped it would not be too late to achieve victory, or it would be the doom of everyone and everything he ever cared for and fought for.

0800 Hours

Within the Perann Nebula, Inside the Nihil Retreat

On Rhand, Within Ro

Inside the Rhandites' Grand Cathedral

Deep within this ancient temple, inside the most sacred sanctum of the Rhandites' ziggurat, a secret meeting was underway, one powered by the most powerful energies of the Force and between twelve of the darkest beings in all of creation. Within a chamber lit only by a handful of flickering candles, symbolism representing the Way of the Dark encroaching on the weakening beings that opposed the annihilation of all life, Kung'urama'nuruodo had convened a summit with his eleven remaining High Sorcerers and their newest patron.

Speaking with the Grysk sage hidden away on the far more dangerous and ancient world of Remnicore, the Chiss Grand Sorcerer assured Tor Valum, "Everything is proceeding as we designed, aside from a few minor setbacks and complications."

"My High Sorcerers are preparing all that is needed to sustain the Way of the Dark when our territory falls to the Jedi. All our sacred tomes, artifacts, and the most essential and devoted of our followers will be on their way to Remnicore before the Jedi launch their siege."

"Good." The spectral form of Tor nodded, with the gesture barely able to be perceived behind the shadow concealing his body. "But what of your wayward brother, Roland? If he discloses what he knows to our enemies…" He left the warning unfinished, the implications obvious to everyone present.

"We know exactly where he is being transferred to, and we're preparing to eliminate him before he breaks." Drear, a middle-aged man of modest build, assured Tor. "He is being transferred to a covert prison on Csilla to be interrogated, while his ship will be dissected, and his slaves will be indoctrinated in the enemy's weakness."

"And how do you plan to reach him in the heart of Chiss space when it is still heavily defended?" Tor skeptically reminded the Nagai. "The Jedi will undoubtedly cut him off from the Dark with ysalamiri to weaken his defenses, and their allies in the Chiss and Zakuul will take the lead in interrogating him with their experience in subverting and breaking down his will to resist. I doubt it will be very long before he succumbs to their efforts while in their custody."

"Leave that to me." A gray-skinned humanoid woman who served as High Sorceress, a Shi'ido, promised. "There's a reason my people are respected and feared as among the best shapeshifters and infiltrators of the galaxy. Combined with my knowledge of practices deemed forbidden by lesser minds, we'll strike a blow against our enemies that will fill them with unparalleled confusion and terror."

"Good." Kung'urama'nuruodo nodded, satisfied with his followers and their plans that would soon be set in motion. But there was something that bothered the onetime Jedi Padawan. Someone, or a group of individuals strong in the Force, were working to probe the sanctum and uncover the truth of this meeting. The Chiss would assume the Sith were doubting his loyalties, but it was equally possible that Roland cracked sooner than expected, and the Jedi were preparing to verify whatever he confessed.

Well, if someone was trying to track him, that left a trail he could quietly use to track them back and ensure their knowledge never reached their masters. This meeting could not be exposed, or it might very well ruin everything the Rhandites had worked towards since their order's inception.

1300 Hours

Bastion, Imperial Capital

Within the Jedi Enclave

For a minute, he thought he was stuck in the same nightmare. One moment, it was a simple meeting with foreign dignitaries and old friends. The next, Lord Repawl and his staff all revealed they were Sith, electrocuting most of the Imperial and Jedi bodyguards with enough force to reduce any living being to a charred husk before moving on the leaders.

Jagged Fel and Ephin Sarreti, having long prepared for such an eventuality occurring, rallied the remaining soldiers and Jedi, with Jayce taking on the supposed adjutant, only to be surprised at how easily it was for the assailant to disarm him. A few minutes later, he lost his lightsaber and was at the Sith's utter lack of mercy.

But what truly left the Fel heir confused and terrified was the message the tanned man left for him through the Force, even while he was pinned down by the better fighter, 'Don't worry, little Jedi. You'll live long past today. But I can't exactly say the same for your father and all his friends.'

Right after the warning was registered, the Sith did something Jayce never expected from any member of their order: he flung him into a secured closet and shot him with a dart that knocked him out in seconds. But just before he lost consciousness, he recognized the sounds of explosives going off in the distance, and dying screams being heard a few hallways away.

Jolting awake, his voice rasp from dehydration, Jayce hoarsely whispered, "Stang." Eyes jolting around, quickly growing fully alert, he realized he was in a medical cabin in the Jedi enclave, and he instantly recognized the two teenagers sitting by his bed, tears streaming freely at seeing their brother awake again.

Chak and Wynn Solo Fel, Jayce's younger brother and sister, each sitting on one side of their brother's bed, tenderly grasping one hand each, let the tears of joy flow freely before Chak smiled, "You've got to be the luckiest guy in the galaxy right now."

"Where… where's Dad?" Jayce gulped out, just before trying to get up, only to fall back down when a seizing pain spasmed across his back.

"Easy, Big Bro." Wynn tried. "You need to rest right now. After what happened to you back at the embassies, you're lucky all you've got is a few cracked bones."

Jayce, a growing fear growing in his chest, tried again, "What happened at the Embassies? Where's Dad and everyone else?"

Chak, knowing Jayce deserved answers, pulled out a holocomm while Wynn made way for the inbound doctors. The younger brother sighed and admitted, "Father's alive. But he's in critical condition from the Sith's attack. Almost everyone who attended that meeting is either dead or in the worst possible shape at the Royal Imperial Medical Center."

No. No, that couldn't be. Jayce knew his father had trained for just this possibility, and he had taken down adversaries and galactic menaces at least equal to a few Sith. There was no way he could be dead now.

Before he could voice any protests, he saw the meter-tall hologram of his mother, Jaina Solo Fel, appear, and she looked just as forlorn as Jayce felt right now. And Jaina quickly let out a breath of relief, "Thank the Force you're going to be alright."

"Mother, what's going on?" Pausing, he saw the two splints on Jaina's two stumps of fingers on her left hand, and he began anxiously panting, "What's going on? What happened on Korriban? How… how bad is it out there?"

"It's bad. Very bad." Jaina sadly admitted. "But I got off easy compared to Edaan and so many others, including your father."

"But… he's going to be fine." Jayce desperately sputtered out. "And what about Ephin? They'll both pull through, and-"

"No, Jayce." A doctor regrettably informed him. "I'm afraid Grand Moff Sarreti passed away five hours ago from his wounds. And your father… he might not pull through at the state he's in."

"What about Repawl and the Sith?" Jayce breathed out as he recalled his Jedi training to control his emotions and bear through this overwhelming pain. "Did we manage to take them down?"

Shaking her head, Wynn solemnly answered, "Half their number is still on the loose. The rest were all killed in the fighting back at the embassies yesterday."

"For now, get some rest." Jaina ordered her wounded son. "I'll be touching down in just over twenty-four hours, and we're going to do everything we can to save your father and hunt down those responsible."

Before Jayce could beg to help, Jaina beat him to it. "I know you want to help save your father, but in the state you're in, you won't be able to assist anyone if you don't let yourself heal up first. Right now, get yourself better, and then you can help the doctors working around the clock to save him."

Every fiber of his being wanted to fight his way to his father and save his life, regardless of the consequences. But Jayce knew that if he got himself killed in the process, either by the remaining Sith or his injuries, it would do no one any good. Relenting, he warned the doctor and his siblings, "If you don't wake me up right when I'm ready to move on my own again, I'll never forgive any of you."

No trace of levity or joy in their faces, Chak agreed, "We promise. In the meantime, I'll work with the doctors and help keep Dad alive until his condition has stabilized."

"Thank you." Jayce nodded before the doctor injected a sedative into his bloodstream to prepare him for his third round of twelve-hour bacta therapy.

1900 Hours

Imperial Headquarters

Main Strategic Center

Quickly typing in a series of commands on a console, Sabine was prepared to try one more time to locate her old ship, the commandeered Corellian VCX-100 freighter that she called home for several years during the Rebel Alliance's formation and its early war against the Galactic Empire's first incarnation. Fully aware of the vessel's capabilities from decades of upgrading its capabilities to reach levels far beyond those conceivable from its production days, she instinctively knew the Ghost would be key to the Sith assassins and their efforts to escape Bastion, and that couldn't be allowed.

But what the Sith might not know was how Sabine installed several subspace comm frequencies, virtually undetectable by anyone who didn't know what to look for, into the Ghost's transceiver and was nearly on the verge of reactivating them to track the ship without the enemy being aware. If the Mandalorian and her allies in Imperial Intelligence and the reformed Gray Cadre could track the Ghost, that knowledge would be essential in capturing or eliminating the fugitives.

Her compatriot in the Gray Cadre, Commodore Turk Brand of the Galactic Alliance Navy, on loan to her due to his analytical mind and previous experience with covert operations, triumphantly slammed his hand on the desk. "I found your ship, Wren."

Ignoring the condescending tone, Sabine hurried over to him, and reviewed the data coming in through his console. Verifying its validity, she then generously patted Turk's back, and blithely bantered back, "Guess you're good for something in your military after all."

Pulling out the secure holocomm unit Armitage gave her, Sabine swiftly keyed in the general's comm frequency and waited a few minutes for the leader to open a line before quickly starting, "We have a lead on the Sith."

"Excellent news, but this is rather bad timing, I'm afraid." Armitage reluctantly interrupted. "Senator Ranth and a squad of his marines have uncovered dozens of unidentified containers scattered across our facilities. I have my best team of analytics scanning them, but I fear we'll need your expertise to disarm them all."

Swearing behind her helmet with dozens of curses in several languages, Sabine advised, "Get all nonessential personnel out of the area, and send me what information you have on these devices. I'll get to your position right away."

2200 Hours

Chiss Ascendancy's Borders

Tenupe, Northern Hemisphere Jungles

Opening his yellow eyes, Haplif allowed himself to remain motionless aboard his personal yacht, letting his attendants detach all the medical equipment that had been equipped to him for scanning his brain waves. The moment the last electrode was removed from his electroencephalogram, Haplif telekinetically called a nearby glass of water to him, and slowly savored its contents after twenty-four hours of ceaseless meditation.

After his spectacular success in undermining the Ascendancy's hold over Sunrise, pushing the government closer to collapse, and acquiring for Lord Krayt eleven million willing recruits for his growing armies, he and his acolytes were entrusted with another mission before they were to regroup with the main Sith force.

With the Chiss reeling from several terrible defeats and the Jedi's coalition suffering high casualties of their own, they would be pushed to try desperate strategies to retaliate and take control of the war's momentum. While this gambit would inevitably fail, it would not do the One Sith well to underscore the enemy's capabilities and ability to adjust their strategy, especially if destroying the Jedi and creating their new Sith Empire in the Unknown Regions cost them more than they could afford to lose.

Thankfully, Lord Krayt understood fully well how a wounded and desperate enemy would be more dangerous than any other, and how the Jedi and their allies were not to be underestimated unless the One Sith wanted to end up by all their preceding orders. Which was why Haplif had left his physical form behind and scouted out much of the Chiss Ascendancy's worlds to learn what he could of the enemy's strategy. And with his doctors and their medical equipment recording all his findings, all encoded in his prized yacht's data vaults, soon the eight Sith would soon leave this world behind and return to the war.

But there was another motive for Haplif being out here, protected by all manner of defenses and away from civilization. Under Lord Krayt's direct orders, he had scouted out the Nihil Retreat to look for evidence of the Sorcerers of Rhand plotting against their partners. Normally, he would not seek to undermine an essential ally of the One Sith when they were set against such a diverse array of enemies, even if the Agbui was a natural schemer and mistrustful by nature. However, he could not deny that it was unwise to blindly trust a group as nihilistic, powerful, and mysterious as the Rhandites without ensuring that the trust wasn't misplaced.

And while observing Kung'urama'nuruodo's emergency conclave with his High Sorcerers, Haplif could barely comprehend what he learnt, or how the Rhandites were betraying their partners all in the name of their self-destructive creed. Hearing how they planned to serve Abeloth and ensure her resurrection while sending their most crucial members to a world called Exegol that served as her followers' headquarters, it infuriated the Sith beyond any level of rage he ever felt before.

Rising from his medical bed, Haplif ordered his aides, "Prepare our ship for a one-way transmission to the Tulpaa System, specifically the Retribution."

Caught off-guard from the sudden command, the servant warned, "Forgive me, master, but our orders-"

"Our lord has time-sensitive information that must countermand Lord Krayt's orders." One of Haplif's female acolytes interjected. "Once the transmission is away, we'll set out for the rendezvous point, but our lives are inconsequential compared to what we all learnt. We have to eliminate a nest of turncoats right away before they can betray our masters and doom the whole galaxy to extinction."

Bowing in relent, the attendant acquiesced, "We'll get our ships ready for takeoff, and send your intel to Lord Krayt the moment the Golfead's out of the planet's atmosphere."

"Good." Haplif agreed, donning his Sith garb and equipping his lightsaber to his belt before preparing to enjoy a flask of his favorite alcohol along with a rations bar to rebuild his strength before leaving this deathtrap of a world. Following his attendant out of the medbay, he was midway to the cockpit before he felt a new disturbance in the Force, a bright surge of energy he recognized all too well from his training under the Sith.

Hurrying to the cockpit, he ordered his pilots, "Shut down all nonessential systems, and have our flotilla do the same immediately. I do not know how, but the Jedi and their friends have found us."

"Should we not try to escape before they can close in on our position?" One navigator questioned.

"Not yet." Haplif denied. "First, we need to determine the enemy's strength, and see if we can lure a few of them to their unwitting doom. Then we'll take advantage of their distress to make our withdrawal."

2330 Hours

Tenupe Orbit

Aboard the Lucrehulk-class Battleship Eminence

Uttering a low roar, Lowbacca wondered if the Force was playing mind games with him and everyone aboard the world that concluded the brutal Swarm War between the Sith-backed Killiks, Chiss Ascendancy, and the Jedi Order, the final conflict before the Second Galactic Civil War and the fall of Jacen Solo.

While the Wookiee was forced to sit out the war in exile on Dagobah along with Tesar Sebatyne and Tahiri Veila as punishment for collaborating with a brainwashed Raynar Thul, he later learnt how the planet housed countless horrors in its swamps and jungles that hid many dangers. He and everyone else aboard the old Trade Federation battleship knew that Haplif and his fellow Sith chose this world for far more than simply its strategic position to the Chiss and dangerous landscape to protect them from a potential orbital bombardment or ground invasion. With the deafening echoes of the countless deaths permeating the entire planet, clouding everyone's senses, it would leave the Alliance of Light unable to properly track their quarry.

But there were other ways to locate the fugitives, courtesy of the Chiss and the network of probes in space and on the ground that they left behind to warn the Ascendancy if the star system was used as a staging ground for future invaders. And with Vurawn's clearance codes in accessing the data, and Khedryn Faal's scavenger's guild working to home in on the Agbui ship, it would not be long before the Sith manipulators were located, and the reprisals could begin.

Until then, everyone had to carry out their own duties while they waited. And Lowbacca was ensuring that his StealthX fighter was operating at peak efficiency when deployment began.

Having just finished running a final diagnostic on the starfighter's systems, Lowbacca was finally satisfied with his work before his comlink chimed, and Khedryn's voice called out, "I hope you've brought plenty of insect repellant, Master Jedi. My people just pinpointed the exact coordinates of Haplif's ship, and we're heading out in twenty minutes."

Letting out an enthusiastic roar, Lowbacca climbed into his fighter and started his system's check. After suffering many defeats against the One Sith, it was time to start hitting back and teaching these upstarts that they would not conquer the galaxy so easily. And taking out its members who manipulated and dragged tens of millions of innocents into this war would be a good first blow to strike.

That ends this chapter. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you have healthy critiques to give. God bless you always, especially in these mad times we live in.