Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm but cloudy day of Thursday, June 22, 2023? I'm all right, as I have a 4-hour shift at my internship today, followed by a 9-hour one tomorrow. All this means I'm going to be busy these next few months with my job and internship. And I still need to try and find a job at the library before my four months are up. In other news, I'm working hard on my story, finishing Ch. 16 two days ago and preparing to write this one. And I plan to get some input on the draft by a couple of trusted writers on here. Oh, and I plan to finish my X-Wing book in the next couple days, and then choose my next Star Wars novel to read. Or maybe I'll start reading the US edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's The history of the Hobbit. I haven't decided yet. Well, I'd best get started on this chapter. May the Lord be with us all in these Dark Times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

Telona 6th, 59 ABY

Csilla, Csaplar

Near House Palace

'You seem to be having a great deal of trouble today, Tau.' A familiar voice echoed in the Jedi Iteration's mind, just as he barely blocked the lightning bolt aimed at him from Malla.

"Not a good time for stating the obvious, Ahsoka!" Tau muttered, just before another voice penetrated his mind, this one far more malevolent and blatant than the Force Spirit that latched herself onto him.

'Now I see why my mistress seeks you as a prospective vessel, Tau Palpatine.' Tor Valum marveled. 'You carry within you the sparks of two powerful old souls. Each a threat to her, but a link to power far greater than all but a few mortals can only dream of. And your brother, he is another marvel in and of itself.'

'You and your bloodline have been chosen for greatness. Soon, one of you will be the herald of the galaxy's final destiny, young Palpatine. And the other one will soon become the vessel of everyone's one true goddess.' Tor concluded with that foreboding proclamation.

Glaring at the Grysk sage at the horrific implications, just as the ancient and withered being intercepted and redirected the attacks back towards Vestara, Ben, and Mirta, Tau grasped how the two Abeloth-aligned infiltrators were rapidly taking control of this battle. After the Shi'ido and Grysk revealed themselves to the Alliance of Light, the Jedi and their supporters had quickly worked to converge on their position, bearing on them all their conceivable might by sending anyone who had a chance to incapacitate or eliminate them.

But Tor and Malla, having prepared for this very battle, had detonated the few bombs they planted that escaped the Chiss-Alliance hunt. Thanks to this diversion, they were able to divert most of their enemy's forces to save endangered lives and protect the planet's capital city from any further attacks, leaving a few dozen Jedi and commandos to take out their enemies.

Throughout the last two hours, both agents of darkness proved their notoriety and skill by evading all but the strongest and most skillful of the Alliance's attacks, using a command of the Force that Tau had not seen in virtually any Jedi or Sith of this era. No one, not even a single of their tactics or attack patterns, whether it was Chiss, Jedi, Mandalorian, Aquilian Paladin, or someone else, was able to fully bypass their impenetrable defense. In fact, every still-conscious Alliance fighter felt that this protracted battle was an experiment for the coming war, and a demonstration before all their enemies of the might of Abeloth's fighters.

For all his power, all his implanted memories and experiences, Tau knew he was powerless against these two lethal acolytes of evil, and unless something drastic was attempted soon, everyone fighting alongside him would be killed or worse. With only about two dozen Jedi-aligned combatants still alive or able to fight, Tor and Malla, empowered by the fear and death permeating the area them to further increase their already inconceivable might, and he cursed himself for his weakness at this crucial juncture.

'There may be a way to defeat Tor and Malla, Tau.' Ahsoka suddenly suggested, catching Tau completely off-guard. 'It's a dangerous gamble, but it's the only option we have left to stop Abeloth's disciples.'

'What are you talking about, Tano?' Tau suspiciously demanded. 'If you have a strategy or power from the Daughter that can save us, then why wait until now to tell me?!'

'Because this power, if used too long, or if you expend too much energy, it could very well kill you.' Ahsoka honestly answered. 'It'll require you to open yourself up to the Force like never before, allowing its boundless energies to fill you up and reach out to empower those around you. It's rather like the old art of Battle Meditation, but far more intense and demanding than that technique.'

'Then stop blathering away and tell me what to do already!' Tau seethed. 'Better I die and save my friends in the process than let Tor and Malla get away with their atrocities and kill everyone in their rampage.'

'That's all I needed to hear.' Ahsoka mentally nodded, as if she was testing Tau in some hidden way, moments before the Jedi agent felt an unfamiliar power surge through him. This new source of strength was akin to a roaring ocean of energy, immersing him in the Light Side of the Force with depths he never believed possible for a mere mortal. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he saw himself glowing with pure energy.

Feeling his cracked bones knitting themselves back together, rejuvenating him with virtually limitless vitality and strength, Tau felt he could do anything with this incredible boost in his connection to the Force. He was nearly so caught up in his reverie that he almost missed Ahsoka's unspoken warning and saw the blast of lightning directed right at him. Acting purely on instinct, he raised a hand and quickly condensed the blow into a small sphere of energy.

Barely acknowledging his teammates stupefied reactions in the Force, Tau turned towards Tor and Malla, and threw the ball of Force energy back towards them. When the two enemies prepared to block the attack, they were literally blown away by the sphere's premature detonation, knocking them through at least emptied buildings before the last structure collapsed on top of them.

Sensing both Abeloth acolytes still alive and rearing to fight, Tau turned to Mirta and Soldier, ordering them, "Get everyone out of the city. I'll handle things from here."

"Wh-What in the Manda are you talking about, Palpatine?! Are you drunk on the Force or-" Mirta tried to protest, but Soldier, giving her a stern glare, interrupted;

"With all the Force energy Tau's emitting now, we'd just get in his way." Soldier instructed Mirta, before turning to Tau, "But we'll be a short distance in reserve just in case anything goes wrong and expect answers from you when all's said and done."

'Oh, that will not be necessary, Soldier Tirall.' Tor's commanding voice boomed through everyone's minds. 'I believe we've done more than enough damage today to your precious Alliance for this potent demonstration of our Mistress's power.'

'We've tested your abilities and strength, and they pale in comparison to the Servants of Chaos.

Well, aside for a handful of you. But either way, it's only a matter of time before we return to finish the job, and you'll all perish or become thralls of the Beloved Queen of the Stars.' Tor finished, before the area he landed in sent up a pillar of red energy, just as Tau fell to his knees and began trembling and gasping for breath.

"Tau!" Everyone rushed to tend to him, quickly seeing blood seeping from both his pores and eyes, his muscles convulsing, veins bulging, and he finally fell face first onto the ground from expending virtually all his energy to repel the two Servants.

Now unable to move even a single millimeter, Tau realized that Ahsoka wasn't kidding about the cost of this display of power. Fortunately, the price was worth it, sensing how Malla and Tor had fled the area, likely the planet altogether through an advanced form or teleportation. At least he bought his friends a little more time, and hopefully he'd be able to do more to stop the Bringer of Chaos and save his brother from the Sith's grip.

Telona 7th, 59 ABY

Rakatan Archipleago, Makatak System

Within Ship

Docked with the system's Star Fortress that served as the fleet's command center, Ship was hard at work undoing the One Sith's indoctrination on its most powerful general, who was meditating aboard him to regain what was suppressed deep within his core. Giving Edaan Palpatine small portions of his memories and individuality, all to help him seek the truth of his origins and free himself from the darkness that controlled him, the sentient Sith vessel knew it was only a matter of time before his guest was ready to seek out Tau and Adari to complete his recovery.

And the timing could not be better, because with Abeloth and her Servants of Chaos making bold inroads to escalate the war between Jedi and Sith, it would drastically alter everyone's plans and determine the fate of all creation. Sensing their rampage in Csilla, from her two agents decimating the Jedi and Chiss before being beaten back by Tau Palpatine and a mysterious power boost, it helped bring most of the Sith in line for Lord Krayt's designs to form a survival pact with the Alliance of Light.

But Ship had his own plans in the making, and he would not be stopped, not by the Sith, Jedi, or Abeloth. Soon, he would be freed from serving lunatics and warmongers and be able to carve out a new path for himself, all while rebuilding his bonds with the only Sith who had ever treated him as an individual and friend. And Edaan would be the means he would escape the One Sith and make his own destiny, once he was willing to defy Darth Krayt and the woman who lusted after him like a pathetic fangirl. The vessel would relish putting Sorzus in her place and humbling her while humiliating her for her failings.

Interrupting Ship's introspection, he felt a familiar presence reach out to touch his mind, and he perfectly concealed his treacherous thoughts before he answered, 'Lady Sorzus. What do you wish of me?'

'To listen and obey. Both you and Edaan.' Sorzus curtly answered before she appeared before Edaan on a holoscreen. "We have new orders from Lord Krayt."

Edaan, playing the part of a loyal servant while hatefully recalling how the Sith experimented on him to make him their unstoppable war machine and field commander, deferentially answered, "What does the Dread Lord wish of us?"

"To prepare for war on an ancient enemy and her new servants, along with the return of lesser foes." Sorzus began, detailing the revelations the Sith had learnt over the last several days. And what she had to say terrified both Ship and Edaan down to the depths of their very spirits.

Hearing how Abeloth was prepared to return to wage a new and far deadlier war than ever before, bolstered by the Rhandites and many other esoteric allies, and how the Knights of Olpaka and its newest commander was leading her own crusade against all Force Users, it made the Sith's feud with the Jedi seem miniscule and miniscule by those comparisons. And it filled Edaan's recovering spirit with terror revulsion from his fractured memories, knowing how the Celestial monster killed his family, and pure unadulterated hatred for Natasi Daala for the thousands of lives she snuffed out for her horrible weapons that tried to sever a person's connection to the Force.

After Sorzus finished her briefing, Edaan, calming his raging spirit, asked her, "What is our strategy to deal with both these dangers? As strong as we are, we cannot wage a three-pronged war against the Jedi, Olpakans, and all of Abeloth's followers."

Momentarily eyeing Edaan with a mixed curiosity and wariness, Sorzus paused before answering, "You are correct. Which is why Lord Krayt is preparing to negotiate an immediate ceasefire with the Jedi Order and Alliance of Light after we destroy the Rhandites and their little empire. But in the meantime, we are to cease any offensive operations against the Alliance of Light for now and keep our forces in line when they all learn of this change in strategy. There will undoubtedly be dissenters when they are told they cannot wage war on our traditional enemies, and we must make them understand the necessity of this desperate measure while keeping the louder malcontents in line."

"You will be the enforcer of Lord Krayt's will and ensure we do not lose anyone from their own ambitions or vendettas." Sorzus solemnly concluded. "It is a thankless task, but a crucial one if we hope to maintain our strength for all our plans and ensuring the Grand Design can survive."

"I hear and obey, my Lady." Edaan loyally complied, all while plotting a way to use this opportunity to his advantage when the right moment presented itself. Now knowing how the Sith had manipulated him and valued him only as a tool, he could barely wait for the chance to strike back and regain the rest of his broken identity.

Once the image of Sorzus disappeared, Edaan reached out to Ship, mentally suggesting to the self-aware vessel, 'It seems we will need to reconsider our strategy for now. On the other hand, it may soon provide us with a vital opportunity to seek out our targets.'

'Very good. You're doing well in relearning the art of patience and initiative.' Ship commended Edaan. 'You walk a dangerous path, but I have faith in your abilities and resolve. But no matter what, we will not fail in our plans.'

'For both our sakes, I hope you're right.' Edaan ruminated, clinging to a faint hope that he might yet become more than the weapon Sith had tried to mold him into. Although he feared what he might feel or do with this forgotten knowledge, he somehow knew this information was key to solving the disasters blooming and carve out a better future for all. And nothing would stand in the way of him seeking what was rightfully his.

Fitomp System

Aboard the Turbulent-class Star Destroyer Mandator

Across the Rakatan Archipelago, the sole remaining Sith-loyal Moff had heard the same rumors coming from many of the lower-ranked Sith and their subordinate commanders of, among other matters, an impending ceasefire with the Alliance of Light. Lecersen, refusing to believe such idle gossip so easily, reached out to General Yiv to get to the heart of the matter. Unfortunately, the Nikardun confirmed every unsettling report on the state of the war and the drastic gambit that Lord Krayt was about to take.

To think, after all the years of planning and scheming, the One Sith and their forces were about to join forces with the Jedi, their lifelong adversaries, and all their allied powers like it was another typical recruitment task. It galled Lecersen more than he cared to admit, nearly more than he could stomach. Those sanctimonious monks couldn't win now, not after all the Moff had sacrificed and risked attaining true power and bringing order to a ruined galaxy.

Yet, Lecersen could also understand the military pragmatism behind uniting to face a greater foe, but only since it was a danger as monumental as Abeloth and her new thralls. Learning that many of Abeloth's forces were composed of former allies of Krayt's, it infuriated the traitorous Moff more than he cared to admit. And it filled him with a sneaking suspicion that there might be far more sleeper agents lying in wait to further sabotage the Grand Design.

And speaking of sleeper agents and dangers, Lecersen knew that one certain menace would take advantage of this opportunity to continue her absurd war on chaos and settling old scores and wanted to eliminate Daala before she could do any more everlasting harm to the galaxy. If her previous annihilation of the Red Twins System was a clear indication of how insane she had become, she needed to be put down now before she left the entire galaxy nothing but a scorched husk for her to rule over.

Lecersen would have to bring this up with Yiv and the Lord Krayt's council at the first opportunity, for he knew Daala better than most and recognized the danger she represented for the galaxy. In his good fortune, thankfully, he would soon get the chance to speak with the Dread Lord when he and his Imperial fleet were finished preparing for their deployment to the Nihil Retreat and deal with the remaining Rhandites.

Preparing to assess his fleet's readiness for the rendezvous with the Dread Lord and wreak vengeance on the Sith's enemies, Lecersen was thrown onto the hard floor as the Mandator rocked from the force of a blow with the strength of a small chain of explosions. Nearly knocked out from what had to be a concussion, he felt his bruised and bloodied forehead, and pulled out his comlink, he exhaustively ordered, "Bridge, report!"

"We're under attack, Sir!" An officer who Lecersen couldn't be bothered to remember right now sputtered out. "It all happened so fast, we-"

"By whom?!" Lecersen growled out, weariness gone and replaced by his well-honed military mind. "The Jedi? Daala's people?!"

"No, by many of our own!" The comms officer answered before elaborating. "Reports are just starting to come in, but about a third of your fleet, the Iskalloni and Ssi-Ruuk forces, half the Tofs, and a dozen Rakata gunships led by a gang of Sith, they launched simultaneous raids across the region and are now set to jump to hyperspace away from here."

Unable to wrap his head around the full-scale implications of this sudden act of treason, Lecersen instead focused on the immediate matters, "Send word to General Yiv and Lord Krayt right away. Then have our remaining people start tracking the traitors and extrapolate all possible escape vectors."

"That last part won't be necessary, Sir. The commanders made no secret of their destination." Pausing, he anxiously added, "They're going to strike Csilla in a few days and, in their own words, finish the war and our enemies we've apparently been forgetting."

Running a sweaty hand over his battered head, Lecersen failed to figure out this grand act of treason, but he could not determine a definite answer. Thanks to these bloodthirsty glory-hounds and their sudden madness, Yiv, the ex-Moff, and the remaining commanders had the unfortunate task of answering to Lord Krayt and ensuring his ceasefire proposal would succeed. A galling mission, but one crucial to make sure the One Sith and their cause lived on after Abeloth was eradicated and the Jedi and Daala were properly humbled while protecting his diminishing number soldiers and ships under his command.

Wait… Lecersen just remembered how Darth Malleus went similarly insane above Sunrise before his unceremonious demise, and how an unknown entity encouraged his ego and mental instability to push for a genocide during a decisive battle. And now, the One Sith had suffered more betrayals than they had wrought, and it endangered the galaxy at this most crucial juncture. It could all simply be a coincidence, but if he learnt one thing from his time with working for Force Users, then nothing involving all their mystical ways was ever happenstance.

Either way, a desperate maneuver needed to be done before all was lost. And, much as it sickened him, it seemed that Drikl Lecersen was the man in a unique position to salvage enough from this mess to save the galaxy. A nauseating thought, but it just might give him enough time to figure a way out of this quagmire, should the Sith's war continue to go against them. At the minimum, he might be able to retire and live the rest of his years in a quiet retirement.

But first, Lecersen had to do the unseemly task of coordinating a massive response in ensuring the Jedi and Chiss Ascendancy were able to secure the latter's capital world from lunatics. And that meant he had to not only work with Krayt and his spies, but his enemies on the opposing side, especially a mother of three, Jedi Master, and would-be Galactic Empress and her family who held no love for him and his hardliner stances.

Telona 8th, 59 ABY

Csilla System

Aboard the Victory III-class Star Destroyer Guardian

Reviewing the evidence from all sides, Jaina Solo Fel, long serving Jedi and ambassador to the Empire, knew that the war with the Sith was about to come to a staggering halt, and it frightened her more than she cared to admit. Not merely since those that wrought immeasurable harm onto the galaxy and destroyed countless lives would survive a few more months or years than she would've preferred, but because of the danger coming from this new battle, against an enemy that should have stayed dead and was now coming back with far more power than ever before considered.

Not only had Abeloth recruited the Rhandites, and a significant portion of the Sith's war capabilities, but she had found a stronghold that was virtually impenetrable in a long-forgotten corner of the Unknown Regions where she would soon resurrect. She was bearing down on all her enemies with a vengeance, sending her latest thralls into a suicidal run to Csilla, both to weaken all her opponents and ensure they did not unite against her rising danger.

Hidden away in the Red Honeycomb Zone, a region nearly impassible unless ancient Force techniques and a planet's worth of energy was poured against the region's ancient defenses of nebulae, black holes, and countless other unnatural predators and Celestial-made abominations, were Abeloth's inhumane experiments on her prisoners of this war, infected with corrupted lightsaber crystals to make them unstoppable juggernauts of war. Even if the Alliance of Light and One Sith joined forces now to stop this evil, their chances of victory, let alone survival, were slim, and looking ever so bleaker with every day this immediate war raged.

Letting out a rueful chuckle, Jaina was astounded and disgusted to remember how their one chance at rallying the galaxy against this unholy menace was due to a defecting Sorcerer of Rhand, and the most notorious, power-hungry, and despicable Moff of recent memory who warned the Jedi of the dangers coming their way.

And equally disturbing- no, terrifying, that was the correct word to use here- to Jaina was that the information Tau reported to Alliance High Command when Tor Valum and his servant wrought havoc across Csaplar before their escape. Hearing how Abeloth planned to make either Edaan or his brother her ultimate vessel and way back into this dimension. It was a sickening plan, but an ingenious one if it gave her the power to take on and annihilate all her adversaries, and either Palpatine could very well manage against many of the greatest of all fighters without her immeasurable might, keen and treacherous mind, and primal connection to the Force.

Working alongside the Chiss, her peers in the Alliance of Light, and her extended family to rebuild the former's security while preparing to repel and destroy the inbound Abeloth-possessed force, Jaina knew this coming battle would be the ultimate test of her skill, leadership, fortitude, and character. Not only would she be forced to work alongside those that nearly took her husband and children from her, a thought that galled her, but the Jedi and One Sith would both have to face enemies that rivaled the Yuuzhan Vong in sheer brutality and cruelty. That is, provided they could even work together in the first place when considering all the bad blood and old hatreds fermenting between both sides.

But if one person could look past the old grudges and vendettas in pursuit of the greater good, it was Kivu'raw'nuru and his confederates in the Chiss clone's master plan. Having convened an emergency summit with the varied commanders and Jedi, they near unanimously agreed to give Vurawn a position of great power as Joint Supreme Commander of the Alliance of Light's entire forces, a responsibility shared with three others to act as a check and balance system, but also to alleviate the burden of command of such a massive force.

Much as it terrified Jaina to give so much power to a handful of people, she knew Wedge, Kyp, and Jan would be able to keep Vurawn balanced in his approach and aware of the fractious bonds between each faction, especially since more forces kept pouring in across this region of the Unknown Regions. Fortunately, matters helped how K'Kruhk and many Jedi under his command, all still reeling from Tor's attack on the Chiss, offered to serve as the first of hundreds of liaisons to help mediate between the Alliance of Light's many factions and help mitigate its terrible growing pains.

And even now, Jaina's own son was now involved in the process, with Jayce working hard to ensure all peoples in the Alliance were fighting cohesively and trusting each other in all matters. It seemed that he might find his path in life after all, even while wanting nothing to do with personal power. He just might serve well as an ambassador for other worlds and work to solve disputes and crises for all civilizations, not merely one government or organization. Even while terribly afraid for the mortal danger Jayce would soon be in, she was deeply proud of the young man he was well on his way towards becoming.

Interrupting her ruminations, Jayce, reporting as previously ordered, saluted Jaina before informing her, "All our forward scouts and rearguard commands have reported in. They're picking up massive readings moving across the entire Ascendancy, and every other faction is reporting the same thing from their fronts. At the current rate of their buildup, we expect Abeloth's slaves to start their attack in no sooner than three days."

Solemnly nodding, Jaina repulsively noted, "That matches with what Lecersen and his constituents have informed us of. Then we have three days to get everything into position to save the Ascendancy and give us all a fighting chance of survival."

Gaze softening at his superior's anger, Jayce reminded Jaina, "Mother, I understand your desire to bring Lecersen to justice, and wholeheartedly share it. For all the damage he did to our family and the galaxy, I'm especially eager to see him rot in jail for the rest of his life." Releasing his anger with a deep breath, he continued, "But we can't afford to let this one opportunity to unite the galaxy against the darkest threat we've ever encountered in all our known history. If we don't come together now, then everything we've fought for will disintegrate in Abeloth's path."

"And while I know most Sith can't be trusted, this final alliance will be a necessary evil, and we'll be prepared to repulse their treachery and push them into the ash heap of history."

Ruefully smirking, Jaina noted, "With that kind of thinking, you might gain a better understanding of why your father and I took the steps we did to save the Empire from collapsing onto itself from Daala's coup."

"I do." Jayce nodded. "And while I won't oppose the measure, I still want no part in this dangerous transfer of power. I can tell that my path lies elsewhere in serving the Jedi and the Will of the Force."

Placing a tender hand on Jayce's shoulder, Jaina commended him, "You know, at times, I forget how much you've grown into a fine young man. At times, I forget the little boy who snuck out of his estate to train at the Jedi Enclave and meet with diplomats and civilian workers. All to learn about the galaxy from those who served the people and train himself for this moment while making himself an emphatic Jedi and leader."

Sighing, Jaina relented, "Ah, but you don't want to hear your mother ramble on about her nostalgia and pride in her firstborn son. And we don't have the time for it anyway. There's many more matters to take our attention right now that are far more pressing for the Alliance of Light."

"We'll talk more after Csilla is safe from attack. And I promise, your father and I'll listen to what you have to say, even if you have to beat the hard truth into our thick skulls."

Smirking, Jayce promised, "I'm sure there are plenty more people willing to do that than just me. But I'll give it my best shot."

Nihil Retreat

Rhand Orbit

Aboard the Amplifier

"Sir, we're receiving an Alpha-level transmission from the Sir Trilag." A comms officer informed Cylo-V, who tore himself out of his neural link to observe the woman. Working through experimental technology he devised to personally command the greatest and deadliest of his creations, the Olpakans had outright slaughtered most of the many Rhandites that had foolishly stayed behind to buy time to ensure the escape of the surviving High Sorcerers and their demented leader. Now all that remained was to eliminate Rhand's ground defenses with a swift and vicious orbital bombardment before withdrawing ahead of the Sith's advance, after he answered this unexpected call from an old friend.

Acknowledging the alert with a crisp nod, Cylo-V brusquely walked to the command center to accept the holocall. The moment he saw the image of Natasi Daala stabilize, he observed, "I take it your mission experienced several severe complications, then?" With an Alpha-level transmission, the highest level of distress in the Olpakan Hegemony's military, it was clear something terrible had transpired on Daala's end. Hopefully whatever it was did not come back to condemn their whole cause.

"General Thaal and Kar'sk were killed in the prison break, and Prime Minister Rodan was captured in the extraction." Daala grimly summed up. "But those are not our most immediate concerns. My spies in the Alliance of Light have delivered many disturbing reports to me. Reports that, if accurate, will require us to halt our plans and enact desperate measures just to survive."

"Abeloth is almost ready to resurrect herself." Daala began, catching the onetime Imperial researcher fully off-guard with those seven words. Regrettably, that was not the only pieces of news she had to deliver, "And she and her followers convinced the Rhandites to follow her and brainwashed a good chunk of the Sith's forces into serving her, and they're prepared to launch a siege on Chiss in just a few days."

His enhanced mind calculating the possibilities with near-lightspeed capabilities, Cylo-V figured out Abeloth's strategy after ten whole seconds, both a testament to his keen mind and an implication of how immense this anti-Force war had suddenly become. If the Celestial monstrosity was amassing an army to bring the galaxy to its knees and was first targeting her most high-profile and powerful enemies first, then everyone involved in this infernal war had to change their strategies quickly before all was lost for the entire galaxy.

Forcing his mind to return to face the immediate danger, Cylo-V asked Daala, "Then what are we to do? I can hardly imagine High Command agree to a ceasefire with the Jedi and Sith, nor can I see our foes uniting with us to destroy this evil after all the destruction we've wrought."

"I would agree, but I've heard from my spies that the Alliance of Light and One Sith are preparing overtures after the latter's rogues are destroyed." Daala noted. "And while either faction might not work with us, that doesn't mean we cannot take proactive measures to help protect our own."

"I'm sending a few of my most trusted proxies and mercenaries to assist the Sith in this war and give them plenty of weapon caches to use in training their Sunrise refugees into a proper army. As for the Jedi, I'll be sending a few humanitarian agencies to help them provide relief supplies to their civilians and damaged worlds."

"And how do you think both factions will take the sudden influx of help after all the favors they've called in?" Cylo-V skeptically reminded Daala. "Don't you believe they will find it somewhat suspicious at the extra manpower and resources that dropped into their laps, no matter how desperate they may be?"

"Let me worry about that." Daala assured her friend. "At the minimum, it'll let us to maneuver out of the Jedi's reach and let us regroup in case we need to fully enter the fight or flee altogether. But meanwhile, I'd have to recommend a few pieces of advice for you."

"We're going to need all our people's expertise, which is why I'm taking my fleet back to the Carthea System to assist your researchers in refining your deadliest weapons. But while we await your return, you'd do well to slow the Sith down with enough clues to grasp the full scope of the Rhandites' depravities. And knowing how they've allied themselves with Abeloth will give the Sith and Jedi a better idea of how to take the demoness down for good."

"I'd suggest you do this right away and leave behind a few interdictors with the appropriate defenses, just so you can cover your withdrawal out of the Perann Nebula and back to the Olpakan Hegemony." Daala concluded. "Good luck, old friend."

"Same to you, Councilor." Cylo-V saluted Daala before ending the transmission, sighing in disappointment at not being able to complete his task the way he wanted it. Oh well, as least he'd get the chance to test out his custom gravity well projectors against future adversaries. But before he set the trap, he ought to leave a message for Darth Krayt and his Sith, if only so they'd operate on the timetable he needed for his fleets to safely withdraw and uncover just how insane their former allies truly were.

Well, I'd say this is a suitable place to end the chapter! I have to admit, I didn't plan for Malla to survive the battle, nor Tau tapping into the Daughter's power, but I needed a way to demonstrate the disparity between the Jedi and Sith against the Servants of Chaos, so I felt it was best to utilize his connection with Ahsoka. I'll explain more about this in the next chapter or two, just so you don't think I've lost my marbles. In other news, the pieces are moving into place for the climactic battle for this story, and it'll undoubtably be a titanic clash between the Alliance of Light and Abeloth's newest servants. I hope that you enjoy and have plenty of healthy critiques to offer.

So, how are you all doing on this warm day of Monday, June 26, 2023? Let me tell you, I am beat from a hard and laborious day of work at my old college bookstore, and I have another one tomorrow before I get to work at the library for the rest of the weekdays. And I've begun reading the US edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's The history of the Hobbit, and it's a remarkable piece that's full of insights into Tolkien's process of creating the starting point of his work, and how he tried to improve upon it after its first publication. I just hope I can finish it in a few weeks, as it's a LONG book. Well, I guess that's enough for today. I have to get this chapter ready for publishing in a few days, and I hope my friend approves of all it has to offer. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!