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Phase 25: Burning stars

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Part 1

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Republic positions
Umbara

Three times Jedi Master Pong Krell came perilously close to betraying the Republic, the Jedi Order and everything he used to stand for, all because of a premonition about an inevitable future. Three times, he saw, and felt the future change. A Republic destined to fall, a Jedi Order racing towards extermination - for a time, they stepped away from the abyss, there was no future but what people made for themselves, a truth that made the Jedi Master doubt himself and delay the betrayal he had been planning.

The first time Krell avoided treason was when General Delkatar Veil, a Dark Lord of the Sith, began his rise. The Dark Lord now. He saved the Jedi from their folly or so it seemed. He did the unthinkable - he went out and risked life and limb to protect the Jedi Temple, fought who many believed were his own kind to do it. The Order had its best chance then to change, to evolve and avoid its fate by taking a different path. The Republic itself got a respite it didn't deserve, a chance to reform itself. A chance the Senate gleefully squandered.

The second time was during the Separatist's Grand Offensive - even with Dooku removed from power and Krell's plans of becoming his Apprentice in ruins, the Jedi Master foresaw the Republic and the Jedi eagerly jumping to their doom. Krell found himself abandoned, cut off from reinforcements and supplies on Umbara. Intercepted enemy communications and civilian broadcasts painted a grave picture - the Republic was in retreat on all fronts, and as if that wasn't enough, visions of the future once again plagued the Besalisk. He foresaw the Jedi Coup, but only when he was in no position to do anything about it. He saw the Corellian system burn, machine armies marching upon the surface of the Five Brothers. Krell dreamed of the Jedi Council making their ruinous mistake - instead of eradicating the Sith, they only succeeded in prolonging the war and replacing one possible Empire with another. Then and there, while the Jedi marched upon the Senate building to dispose of the Chancellor, Krell prepared to betray his troops and cut off a deal with the local Separatist Commanders.

For the second time, Veil happened. Krell, as well as any other trained Force Sensitive in the galaxy felt what happened at Kamino. Very few actually saw the truth of that act - the hidden betrayal Veil executed flawlessly. He sacrificed a world, bound a whole fleet to himself and planted the seeds that in the future to come would transform the Republic into something different, jagged, battle hardened and vicious. On that day, Krell decided that with Dooku not only out of the picture but proven as the inferior choice, he would seek a differen Master, one who could give him what he desired.

The third time Krell came close to betraying the Republic was when Veil returned to set up the whole Mid-Rim on Fire. The Jedi Master saw the futures break, once again, saw the gamble Veil staked everything upon, he could almost see the payoff he risked so much upon...

Krell was a good general. He knew logistics well - how could he not, when it was the one thing he and his command lived and died upon, cut off as they were! Krell could infer the periloius state of Veil's forces in the Mid-Rim, he could see the truth of the Confederate propaganda claiming that the monster would be brought to justice soon. The Jedi Master dreamt of a future after future flash in front of his eyes, he saw Veil do the impossible again and again while his supplies dwindled, he all but saw Veil ignite a star at Sullust, the decisive victory at Naboo that followed and ensured that the Mid-Rim Alliance would not die in stillbirth.

The Jedi Master also foresaw what was to come - Bothawui and the possible betrayal of the Bothan's rulling Council. On that day, when he became certain that treason was on the menu and Veil would fall, and with him, the last chance the Republic had of victory in the long run, Krell set up his treason. He led a raiding party in order to recover vital supplies from the enemy, he was about to give the order for an attack upon well dug in, aware and more numerous Umbaran troops than intelligence suggested, so he could use his troops as a sacrificial offering.

Then it happened, Veil broke fate for the third time Krell knew off. The whole galaxy, the Force itself trembled when a world died, fed to the Dark Side, consumed by the Dark Lord of the Sith, who had his back placed against the wall. The future shattered, the Confederate victory was no longer inevitable. At the same time that Krell stayed his hand and called back the suicidal attack on Umbara, the seeds of another betrayal were planted. He knew for a fact that the Republic would no longer lose the war, at worse, it might not win it. The Jedi Master wasn't about to throw his lot with the Separatists, he wasn't crazy enough to stand against Veil.

On that day, on the way back to the base camp, Krell smiled, teeth flashing in Umbara's twilight. He knew that sooner than later, he would be called to commit treason, against the Jedi Order, against the Republic they served. And when that day came, when Veil made him an offer he couldn't possibly refuse, Krell was going to commit himself, swear himself, blade and soul, in service of the Dark Lord. On that day, he would be one of the people betraying the Republic for the Empire to come.

He foresaw it all happening weeks ago; today, today was the next step on that path.

"Are you ready?" He asked his XO, a Clone who not so long ago was a mere Lieutenant. "We're about to get off this hell."

"I hope you're right, sir." The trooper sounded weary, jagged scars and hastily patched spots stood as proof of the vicious campaign fought through the jungles covering most of the planet.

"I've foreseen it, Acting Commander. It won't be long now..." Krell whispered. The Jedi's unfocused eyes stared into something distant, which the Clones had no way of perceiving.

Unexpected rumble came from the distance, again and again. Soon the horrizon to the north lit up in fiery orange, followed by sharp thunderclap.

"This is rear Admiral Harch to all Republic personnel on Umbara. Orbital evacuation lanes are now open. Designate your locations, we'll dispatch transports ASAP. The fleet will begin indiscriminate orbital bombardment upon any and all enemy held military, industrial and logistics targets within the hour. If any friendly units are in the vicinity of one, report now..."

"And so it begins..."Krell's smile turned deadly. "Do call the fleet and mark our position with flares. We don't want any misunderstandings at this point, do we Acting Commander?"

"No, sir, we don't! Major Ulm, see to it!"

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Part 2

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A lot of details and events slipped under the scanners during the furor following the launch of Operation Star Hammer. While the eyes of the Galaxy concentrated upon countless battlefields across the Mid-Rim and the impending titanic clash at Corellia, all sides maneuvered for any possible advantage in the war and its aftermath. One of those low key events happened on Kashyyyk at the behest of General Veil, acting as both a high ranking military officer of the Galactic Republic and Mandalore. While Veil bypassed the Separatist Forces in the system on his way back from his infamous Mid-Rim Campaign, when he returned during the first phase of Operation Star Hammer, he ensured that all traces of enemy forces in the system were dismantled. He also ordered the rear echelons of his armada to provide all the support the Wookies needed to neutralize any and all Separatist units on the ground. After said gesture of goodwill, he called a meeting between the Kashyyyk Royal Houses and the overall Wookie leader, King Grakchawwaa on one side, and notable City Elders from Trandosha.

A detachment from Mandalore's Honour Guard, led by his personal assassin Droid, HK-117 ensured the security of the meeting backed by a battalion of Clone Troopers and elements of the Republic Navy in orbit. Details on the negotiations are scarce to this day, however the outcome soon became clear – the Trandoshans agreed to cease their practice of hunting Wookies in order to appease the Scorekeeper, their Goddess. Instead, they would be granted access to the Shadowlands, where they could test their mettle against the vicious predators there to their heart's content. Further, the Trandoshans would receive both Wookie and Mandalorian backing in achieving their long term political goal of gaining a Senate Seat on Coruscant.

Rumour has it that one of the primary reasons the Trandoshan Elders did agree to the deal, was the implied threat of Mandalore doing anything he has to to put stop to their hunting and slaving ways, up to and including laying waste to Trandosha itself, an account disputed nowadays considering the large number of Wookies and Trandoshans who had become Mandalorians in recent years…

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Rwookrrorro

Kashyyyk

He was going to need an oil bath after this, perhaps two, HK-117 concluded. Kashyyyk with its humidity, heat and insects was just behind places like Tatooine on the list of planets the assassin droid preferred to avoid. There was always all kinds of stuff getting in his joints, often weapons too, degrading performance and increasing the odds of his victims to survive a good old fashioned assassination, which simply wouldn't do!

To add insult to injury, on that particular day, HK was acting in his capacity as a protocol droid, and even worse – babysitter who had to keep the local fur-balls and the overgrown lizards from gloriously murdering each other, something he was becoming more and more tempted to do himself! Damned meat-bags!

Five minutes in and both the representatives from Trandosha and the Wookies were roaring and hissing at each other, and HK was sure he saw at least one Wookie spit a literal fur-ball like a damned feline! The fur-ball king towered above everyone else, a veritable walking rug nearly three meters tall – all muscle and sinew. He was surrounded by representatives of the other Royal Houses and their own Honour Guard, which made for a large group of very big and very irate Wookies. They all stood on their feet, gesturing wildly and roaring like the beast they were.

The Trandoshan delegations stood across them, separated only by a long, intricately carved wooden table, which didn't appear to be much of an obstacle. The lizards were large specimens as well – every single one of them was at least two meters tall as well, all muscle, tough tough hide, teeth and sharp talons. They were busy jeering and hissing angrily at the walking rugs, paying no attention to the reason why HK was wasting his time with them. He would never knew why his Master believed those things could be useful!

This would simply not do! HK-117 had a mission to execute and those fuzzballs were doing their best to kriff it up.

"Ahem." The Assassin droid cleared his electronic throat. Predictably, no one paid him any attention. If he could, he would have rolled his photo-receptors at the fools. HK let out a deafening roar, imitating an infuriated Krayt dragon. His scream was loud enough it shook the whole meeting room and thankfully made everyone shut up and stare at him.

"Now that I have your attention..." HK began, dutifully translating both in the Wookies' bestial language and what passed for one that the Trandoshans used. "My Master, General Veil, Mandalore, and most importantly for you all, the Dark Lord of the Sith who recently annihilated Bothawui," The Assassin droid gleefully stressed the last point, "in his infinite wisdom has seen something to admire in your species. I personally can't see anything of use after the display I just witnessed but I digress… My Master has an exclusive offer for you and your people. First, he'll express his personal and very final displeasure at anyone enslaving or hunting down your people for sport, King Grakchawwaa."

The Wookie roared gleefully at that, while the Trandoshans hissed venomously and glared murderously at HK. Their attempts at intimidation were cute really, he had been glared at by proper Sith Lords, killed some of those even.

"Very final and deadly displeasure." The Assassin droid repeated, because he had his doubt about his audience's cognitive abilities. "In exchange of not hunting and enslaving Wookies and other Republic citizens, you folks will be granted permission to hunt dangerous flora and fauna within the Shadowlands here on Kashyyyk and on various death worlds across the Republic. To sweeten the deal, provided that you're prepared to accept a former alignment and alliance with Mandalore, we'll offer our backing and support so you can achieve your ambition of gaining your own Senate Seat on Coruscant."

This time the mobile boots dispensaries preened and looked gleefully at him, while the Wookies roared in fury and muttered about uppity droids needing their arms torn away.

"Let me make something perfectly clear. My Master, the Chancellor, and the GAR officer corps are all out of kriffs to give. My Master has the full backing of the powers that be in the Core and everything he does beyond it would be overlooked so he could keep wining their war for them. Republic members trying to kill off each other for fun or because of their Goddess and appeasing her, is no longer acceptable. You can come to a mutually beneficial understanding, profit from it, you can have your warriors bring untold glory fighting under my Master's banner and become legends, or you could continue to be a disruptive elements, in which case, my Master will come to visit you on his way back to liberate Mandalore and vent of his displeasure upon your heads personally." HK beamed at the gathered meat-bags. "What say you?"