Hello, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm and tranquil night of Friday, February 2, 2024? I'm all right, as I'm able to rest for a few days as my parents travel down south to help my grandparents out, leaving me alone and able to write and do other good stuff. And I have a lot to write about in these next four days before I return to the tumult of work. I know I have a lot to do as I start to approach the climax of the story to set up everything for the conclusion. And then I need to plan out the final installment in this saga, which will take quite a long time, as story #6 of my Jedi Odyssey Rewrite will be my most ambitious and arduous undertaking in all my years of writing. And I pray I can finish this saga before the End Times come upon us, because at the rate the fabric of society is coming undone, I have a strong feeling we don't have much time left. But enough small talk and doom and gloom. I need to start writing while I still have a few hours left tonight. May the Lord be with us all in these Dark Times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

One Hour Later

Nelona 24th, 59 ABY

Deep Space, Olpakan Hegemony Fringes

Aboard the Pelta-class Frigate Intrepid

Having quickly dressed himself in the garb completely resembling that of his predecessor, Cylo-VI was using his time productively after awakening after Cylo-V's passing aboard the now-destroyed Alchemy. He spent the last forty minutes readjusting his plans accordingly and pulling key resources and agents out of the Olpakan Hegemony and the rest of the galaxy for his own continuation of the falling territory's ancient vows. While he knew Abeloth and the True Sith Empire both needed to be stopped, and they would be defeated by the Last Alliance and its vast and diverse followers and allies, that did not mean the cloned human would sit idly by while the galaxy came undone in the bloodied and confusing aftermath.

And though Cylo-VI planned to help the Jedi and Sith win their war and save the galaxy, he would not stand idly by once their old feud resumed afterwards and doom countless lives and worlds. True, Daala went too far in achieving the Knights of Olpaka's thousand-year-old vow, and she allowed herself to be swayed too easily by her vendettas and external influences, but that did not mean she was wrong in that both Force Orders needed to be stopped from their constant warfare.

Their temporary partnership notwithstanding, the differences between the Jedi and Sith were too great to be bridged, and once this war was won, the cycle of war would start back up, and after a few more decades or so, the Father of Shadows would then be unleashed on a wounded galaxy. Which was why Cylo-VI and his people needed to be ready to stop them before that eventuality occurred.

But unlike Daala and her brute-force approach, Cylo-VI would learn from her mistakes and implement a more subtle approach to undermining the Force Order's foundations. Recognizing the galaxy would never accept the radical changes he had in mind, even if he now acknowledged that eradicating the Force was an unrealistic fever dream, he would have to take a page from the late Darth Bane and move in the shadows to enact his plans.

However, before he could fully devote himself to his vision for the future, Cylo-VI needed to ensure the future was still up for grabs by those that opposed the primordial evils of creation. Reviewing the holofeed coming to him from his probes and spy programs across the Carthea System, he knew the Last Alliance would soon have Daala and her followers crushed under their booted heels. From there, her last contingency would be wiped clean from the Olpakan mainframe, and the putrid legacy she wrought could at last be expunged from the galaxy.

But from his scouts' few reports on the Red Honeycomb Zone, Abeloth and her fleets had their adversaries on the run, and they would soon pounce on the Olpakan Hegemony as their first conquest. The Last Alliance needed to be warned, and he had to do his part to help them triumph in this apocalyptic war.

Addressing the captain of his auxiliary flagship, Cylo-VI handed her two pieces of flimsi, each a foot in length and ordered, "Send this message to all the names on the list, using the codes listed on there from my chambers. Do so immediately."

Saluting her leader, the marine captain diligently worked to carry out the orders, leaving Cylo-VI to take command of the bridge. First, he would make sure enough of his people and agents were safely secured away in their redoubts. Then, he would turn his ship around and return to the battlefield of Carthea to save as many of his people as he could and learn what exactly the Last Alliance needed from his scientific expertise. No one would ever accuse him of being a coward. And, truth be told, he wanted a piece of that heroism and nobility the Jedi and their like were always preaching about.

Carthea Orbit

Aboard the Sir Trilag

'Daala's coming right for you.' Tau telepathically warned Edaan, who was finishing overloading two turbolaser batteries with a barrage of lightning while Soldier covered him and behaded the last Olpakan marine attempting a sneak attack. 'She'll be on your position in just under ten minutes, and she is very angry with you.'

Letting out an amused chuckle at his brother stating the obvious, Edaan stayed on task and finished destroying the destroyer's heavy weapons before he asked, 'Is it just her?' Sensing the dozen or so other presences in the Force accompanying their superior, each blazing with hatred almost as strong as Daala was, he said, 'Forget that question. Thanks for the heads up.'

'Brother.' Tau urged, no warmth in his voice as he all but pleaded with Edaan, 'Come back to Adari and all your friends in one piece. They'll need you when the time comes.'

Confused by the oddly prophetic warning, Edaan made a note to ask Tau of that after he returned to Sekot. Right after he made the reminder, his eyes flashed with the image of thirteen individuals, the first twelve encased in armor vaguely resembling that of a Phase II Dark Trooper's, and the final one like a Phase III Dark Trooper. Recognizing which armor Daala was using, and confident each Olpakan was carrying their fair share of weapons and defenses, he knew the next battle would be the end for either him or one of his old vendettas. He only hoped that if he walked away with everyone else as the victors, he wouldn't lose his soul along the way in the inevitable carnage.

But knowing that Daala was less than nine minutes away, he simply sent his comprehension and agreement to Tau through the Force, all while praying that he didn't descend to his enemy's level. Returning his attention to the task at hand, he used his cybernetics' built-in comlink to warn everyone, "Wrap up whatever havoc you're on and regroup with me and Paladin-Captain Tirall. The target and her guard are about eight minutes inbound from our position, and she's packing a lot of firepower."

Receiving ten crisp acknowledgements, Edaan took a moment to offer one of his bacta patches to Soldier, who gratefully accepted before he applied it to his bloodied abdomen. No matter how much he wanted this imminent battle, he wouldn't abandon his friends and allies, no matter what. He also reflected on all the carnage he wrought on this Destroyer, every corpse he left in his rampage, and knew that the lurking darkness could be his doom if he did not remember who he was and stayed true to his convictions.

Soldier, recognizing the conflicted and terrified stare in Edaan's eyes as he finished reattaching his armor, consolingly reminded the Jedi Knight, "You're not alone in this fight, Edaan. We all need to depend on each other, now more than ever, to protect the people we love."

"No offense, Soldier, but neither of us need noble platitudes right now." Edaan heatedly pointed out, before reproaching himself. "Sorry."

"Forget about it." Soldier waved off. Seeing everyone converging on their position, he reminded Edaan, "Just keep your head on straight against Daala. Last thing we need is you acting like a younger me right now."

"That all depends on if our plan succeeds." Edaan remarked before asking Tesar, "Is everything in place?"

"This one and the Sith's assassin made sure of it." Tesar answered. "Daala will never know what will hit her until it's too late."

"Then let's stop wasting time talking and get into position." Phasma brusquely conferred, with everyone taking up their predetermined positions to ambush Daala and her squad the moment they entered the building. Everyone hid behind whatever large pieces of debris or crates that was within the vicinity of the triple-sealed hangar doors, aside for Edaan, who would serve as the bait to draw the Olpakans into the Last Alliance's trap. And the eleven other members of the diversionary team were each anxious at this pivotal brawl, even as they took up positions before their enemies arrived.

Kyle Katarn, Din Djarin, and Ochi all prepared their ion-affiliated weapons and grenades to use on their enemies. Mirta Gev and 11-4D would help with a different form of long-range sniper rifles and missiles, while the Sith droid also served as a field medic. Darth Vua, Soldier Tirall, Tesar Sebatyne, Jaina Solo Fel, Phasma, and Darth Wyyrlok, on the other hand, would help help Edaan by taking on her twelve guards, leaving the Jedi Knight with the burden of stopping Daala on his own.

The minutes slowly trickled by, with Edaan's mind pouring through countless outcomes of the battle before he felt a calming and intimate presence brush his mind, his thoughts and heartbeat slowing down to more stable levels. Silently sending gratitude to his wife through the Force, he willed his mind to stay focused on the plan Kyle and Mirta devised.

Just then, Edaan's enhanced hearing picked up the familiar sound of metal boots clanging against the hard floor right outside the hangar and knew what it meant. But even he was surprised when the durasteel doors were punched with the force of a Reek, with three more blows quickly being laid, the power of the blows nearly enough to knock the doors off their motorized hinges.

'Well, Daala means business.' Edaan ruefully mused, suddenly regretting his offer to play bait. Backing away a few feet, a wise move, given the next blow knocking the doors down and six of the Olpakans fanned in, keeping their weapons aimed at the Jedi Knight as he defensively ignited two of his built-in lightsabers.

"Already preparing for a fight, Edaan Palpatine. Just like the rest of your ilk." A woman's scathing and loathing voice called out to Edaan, one that he committed to memory after the last time they met, and it nearly sent him into a frenzy. Still, he didn't expect to see Daala parading into the hangar in an eight-foot suit of armor, gold-colored and recognizable as a mix of Duraplast and Cortosis alloys, bristling with weapons and having two repulsors and thruster packs for greater maneuverability. "But it's appropriate that you'd come here, to meet your end, as we approach the end of this age."

With Daala'a thoughts shielded in a way Edaan had never felt before, her mind an impenetrable wall, he realized she had long prepared for this inevitable confrontation. But he knew he had to keep her talking at least a couple more minutes to let everyone prepare their trap, so he took a gamble, "And are you so afraid of losing control that you're willing to see the galaxy die? Abeloth, Mnggal-Mnggal, the Rakata and Nihil Retreat, they're all coming after us, and most of your confederates have realized the futility of waging war on every conceivable fronts. Why can't you see that your efforts are only repeating the Peace Brigade's folly and treachery?"

Although Daala's mind was protected from any probes, Edaan could sense how her guards were incensed at the vile comparison to the Yuuzhan Vong's willing agents and collaborators in their invasion, and he knew he was treading a treacherous minefield. Still, he pressed on. "Enacting bombings across the Galactic Alliance and attacking dozens of facilities, freeing dozens of galactic criminals, experimenting on thousands of civilians to try and expunge the Force from all living things, attacking civilians fleeing the only homes they've ever known, it's hard not to draw a comparison between the two organizations.

"And you-" Edaan pointed an accusing finger at Daala, "You know just what Abeloth and those like her are capable of, and you pick now to wage your demented crusade when we're at the edge of annihilation?! I can't decide if you're that desperate and petty, being manipulated by the Servants of Chaos or True Sith Empire, or if you've just abandoned all pretense of sanity."

"Do you even care for the lives of your few remaining supporters, or that your relatives and former friends have taken up arms against you, or would you prefer to just go down now as you've always been, a spiteful, depraved, and immature bigot?"

Contrary to all expectations, Daala did not deny the charges, only laughed, her voice full of madness and dementia before she answered, "You think I'm blind to what you're doing, Jedi Palpatine? Trying to stall me while your friends work to shut down my precious home?" Seeing the flicker of surprise in Edaan's gaze, she carried on, "Oh yes, I know of your teams attacking the generator, and I was well-prepared for them, just as I'm ready for you and your merry band of friends and followers."

His resolve not wavering, Edaan warned Daala, "As Darth Sidious's overconfidence was his weakness, so it is with you. Now surrender, or face justice for all the victims you've claimed over the decades."

"Don't lecture me on war, Jedi. All my 'victims' were simply just casualties of war!" Daala snapped, her composure beginning to break. "And your naïve version justice will only result in more idealistic fools continue to run the galaxy into the ground."

Seeing the doubt beginning to creep in from one of her bodyguards, her readouts measuring their pulses and brainwaves and feeding them into her Heads-Up Display, Daala quickly activated a failsafe in their armor, triggering an electrical pulse capable of killing a Rancor. The charred husks falling over, she ordered her eleven remaining guards, "OPEN FIRE!"

Just then, several ion bombs went off, along with two torrents of lighting bursting from three different angles, overloading the circuits of three more Olpakan commandos. Uttering a silent thanks to Cylo and the Olpakan Republic for their invaluable intel on the Hegemony's Jansar Power Suits, Edaan ignited the remainder of his built-in lightsabers and went on the attack, with his allies joining the fray.

'Now, the battle is joined.' Edaan viciously thought.

Two Hours Later

Olpaka System

On the Orromol Moon Surface

In all his twenty-eight years of leading the Olpakan High Council, Vlad Karamazov never would have imagined he would live to see the end of his once-glorious society. Preparing his people to accept the Last Alliance's terms of surrender while readying them for war against the very evils they once pledge to fight, it was a scenario the Supreme Knight was ashamed and relieved to see happening at once, even as he reflected on his life's journey through the five-kilometer long turbolift to the Olpakan Hegemony's greatest weapon.

And make no mistake, the Olpakan Hegemony was a great empire once, when it upheld the ancient tenets passed down to them from the Celestials and their Firstborn races. Serving as a bastion of stability and freedom in a turbulent galaxy while holding back the Old Ones and their unholy servants, it worked to protect countless souls and deliver many others out of the depths of evil.

But through millennia of warfare, seeing the Jedi's fallen wreak havoc and repeatedly wound the galaxy and unwittingly serve the Father of Shadows, and the slow trickle of doubt infecting the Olpakan Hegemony's ranks, the society tragically fell from grace and turned against the Force and Celestials. Eventually viewing the Force and its acolytes as a disease that only brought misery and woe to all, most Olpakans became bitter and worked to isolate themselves from the galaxy over the last thousand years.

Remembering how the anti-Force organization known as the Star Cabal went too far in their hatred to destroy the Jedi and Sith, the Olpakan Hegemony vowed never to interfere in the galaxy's affairs, only to focus on protecting their own and any that shared their views. Aside from an adventurous few that tried to turn the galaxy against the Force, most adhered to their stagnant government's strict non-interference policy. That is, until Cylo and Natasi Daala uncovered their government and worked to ignite their loathing into full-blown hatred and fanaticism that could be used to further their own vendettas.

When both ex-Imperials stumbled upon the Hegemony at their fleeing from the rest of the galaxy, they merely had to take advantage of the mistrust it held towards the Force to convince them to prepare to impose their views on all others. With Cylo's incredible genetic and cybernetic advancements and vast network of scientific minds, and Daala's legions of soldiers and ships, the Olpakans could free the galaxy from the supernatural power and bring all beings into a new and enlightened age.

Or so the Olpakan Hegemony's mighty leader once believed. Deep down, Vlad had always wondered if hating the Force was truly worth all that effort, and he felt nothing but regret at being swept away in his youth by the tides of resentment and fear that swept most Olpakans away and doomed so many to die disgraceful and pointless deaths. It was only through seeing Daala for the hateful shrew she really was, and how her vendetta swayed so many to hate life and punish all those different from her, that he was able to realize the dark path he was walking towards.

Now, Vlad only hoped it was not too late to save the rest of his people from suffering the same fate. With Abeloth, Mnggal-Mngagal, and the Old Ones prepared to destroy or enslave the galaxy, many of his people were waking up to the gravity of their situation and preparing for war. Thankfully, they were pragmatic enough to see that this Last Alliance and its many friends were not their enemies, at least, not the most immediate ones, and would form a pact with them to ensure their own survival. Through this act of necessary desperation, he hoped his people would come to the conclusions he had and fully abandon their lifelong hatred of the Force.

But before the Last Alliance would accept the Olpakans' help, they had to rid themselves of the unrepentant fanatics and their mad leader that were trying to stop the evacuation of Carthea's fleeing populace. Which was why Vlad was in the system's outskirts, preparing to unleash the Olpakan Hegemony's most devastating weapon on its traitors.

And awaiting Vlad were four of those that were initially sent to infiltrate and sabotage the Olpakans' war effort, but necessity requiring him to speak with them and offer them his terms of a negotiated surrender. As the turbolift ended its ten-minute descent down to the moon's surface, he was greeted by Winter Celchu, Valin Horn, Armand Vorn, and Cain Arla, each dressed in full combat gear and prepared to wage a righteous war.

Cain, the most mistrustful of the bunch, irritably demanded her former superior, "Well? Do you have what we need?"

Wearily smiling at Cain's impatience, Vlad pulled out two datapad and handed both to Winter, allowing the old intelligence officer to quickly scan and compartmentalize each file with her eidetic memory. After about three minutes of careful examination, she told the Supreme Knight, "I'm glad to see you're a man of your word." Addressing her teammates, she answered, "It's all here, just as we agreed upon. His people's terms of surrender and their accounts of facing the Old Ones and Abeloth's first coalition."

"In that case, we ought to transmit it all to Zonama Sekot and finally get back to saving all creation." Valin breathed in relief. "Abeloth is only getting stronger while we've been waiting out here, and we've just about run out of time to help stop her and your rogues' mad causes."

"Well, unless you have a secret armada hidden underneath or near this base of yours, we've just been wasting our time." Armand ground out, frustrated from being stuck in space while his mother was still rampaging across the galaxy, endangering his family, and besmirching his family's name.

Sagely smiling with a grandfather's patience at Armand's youthful impetuousness, Vlad simply advised him, "I suggest you prepare yourself for all your expectations being met and surpassed, Captain Vorn. Your mother will get what she deserves very soon. But whether it's by your hand or the Last Alliance, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. And there are evils out there that are far more insidious and destructive than Natasi Daala."

Forcing himself to calm down, Armand acknowledged the point with a curt nod, just as the ground underneath them began shaking, almost as if the moon was coming apart. Nearly stumbling onto the metal floor from the sheer force of the quakes, everyone but Vlad struggled to figure out what was happening before they recognized the trembling as the signs of a ship preparing for takeoff.

Winter, recalling such an incident from her days as an Intelligence operative for the New Republic's early years, flashed a knowing glare at Vlad and loudly accused him, "How long have you had a Super Star Destroyer of your own?"

Offering a helping hand to get everyone back on their feet, just as the ship's internal dampeners kicked in and the rumbling stopped, Vlad began elaborating, "Actually, we don't have an Executor-class Star Dreadnought, Captain Celchu. We have something far more dangerous and grandiose to offer the Last Alliance." Pulling out a folded-up piece of flimsi, he opened it up to reveal the diagram of a dreadnought larger than virtually anything Winter had recalled seeing. Aside from the Yuuzhan Vong's worldships and the Empire's Death Stars, nothing else could eclipse this ship's size and firepower.

Studying the diagram intently, seeing the ship's dimensions of being more than thirty kilometers wide, nearly ten kilometers long, Winter wondered how much time and energy the Olpakan Hegemony had spent constructing the behemoth emerging from its construction. Boasting twenty-eight sublight engines, more than twelve hundred ship-to-ship defenses and eight hundred anti-fighter guns, and capable of carrying well over one million personnel and soldiers, the Mega-class Star Dreadnought was the culmination of the old Imperial war machine and Olpakan radicalism.

Anticipating his guests' next accusations, Vlad offered, "Perhaps we should continue this conversation in the tactical center. We still have several systems checks to perform on the Transcendence before flying into war, and you ought to inform your people of our next gift to the Last Alliance."

"And you trust all these people to carry your orders to the letter, given who they're supposed to give aid to?" Valin skeptically asked.

"Most of the ship's systems are automated we have well over one hundred thousand soldiers aboard the garrisons. All of them loyal to me above all others." Vlad answered. "They will see the job done, even if they do not yet approve of my decision."

"Well, that's not at all comforting." Cain muttered under her breath, much to Vlad's grim amusement, having heard his former subordinate's complaint.

Carthea System

Aboard the Bright Reaper

"You both don't have to be here right now, you know." Julius kindly urged his Jedi and Galactic Alliance liaisons as the Aquilian fleet drew closer to two of Abeloth's heavy cruisers, peppering them with all their weaponry and gutting their hulls with fires, ice crystals that were originally air pockets, and hundreds of soldiers and servicemen caught in the blast radius. Working alongside the Mandalorians and the Dornean's Starhawks, the three fleets had done well in containing Abeloth's fleets while the rest of the Last Alliance worked to destroy Daala and complete the Carthea System's mass exodus.

But while Julius was certain the battle would soon turn against the Last Alliance once Abeloth stopped toying with her opponents, that didn't mean he would neglect the well-being of his peers and friends. Seeing Han and Leia Organa Solo drive themselves so hard after learning of Luke Skywalker's capture by the Bringer of Chaos, it worried the Aquilian High Admiral and nearly made him order them back to the Millennium Falcon and try to properly process this tragedy. Unfortunately, they were among the two most reliable- or stubborn, he honestly couldn't decide- and they would not let their loved ones face such horrific odds on their own.

"I appreciate that, Sir, but now's not the time to despair or fear the worst." Leia stoically acknowledged, breaking the Force Meld momentarily to address Julius's concerns. "You need every hand you can to help stem the casualties, and I'm not willing to give up on my brother just yet."

Returning her focus to the meld, Leia reconnected to the hundreds of Force Users directing this battle, countering the dual enemies' maneuvers and strategies while empowering the will and resolve of their servicemen to bravely stand their ground. Composed of well over four hundred members of the Last Alliance's dozens of aligned Force Orders, the diverse group was putting all their efforts in wrapping up Daala's final gasp of warfare while working to slow Mnggal-Mnggal carnage.

Coordinated by Tau Palpatine and Darth Krayt, using the knowledge they had been bestowed by the Ones and Wuztek, the small army was proving their worth and reminding the galaxy of their value to all the skeptics out there. The One Sith and their forces were especially proving useful in delivering severe losses to Daala's fleet, their ferocity and cunning more than a match for the rogue Olpakans in their weakened and outnumbered state.

And Leia was not the only one among her bloodline that was working hard to fight the pall of despair closing in over everyone. Every member of her family was out in the thick of battle right now, facing Daala or Abeloth's madness head on and saving lives across the system. Han especially, was throwing himself into the task by guiding Julius's pilots through performing many of the retired general and smuggler's more daring maneuvers and tactics, venting his fury at Luke's plight on the Servants of Chaos and everyone else that would willingly or unknowingly aid her conquest.

Even C-3PO and AG-37, after both droids were finished with the repaired from their previous damage, were doing more to pull their weight than most sapient beings. Agee, using the Bright Reaper's sensors array to track any pilots who had to evacuate their fighters, while Threepio communicated with the Last Alliance's rescue and recovery task force to save the stranded souls before they were killed or kidnapped. The droid duo had already helped save more than one hundred and fifty stranded pilots, and there were more than twice the downed fighters still in the empty void of space.

Seeing the unbending resolve in both Solos, Julius relented in his efforts to help them and returned his focus back towards the battle raging before everyone. There were still thirteen of Abeloth's warships and twenty of Daala's capable of defending themselves or attacking the evacuation convoys, and this battle needed to be wrapped up quickly before this war escalated any further. But somehow, he knew that someone was about to make life infinitely more complicated and harrowing for the Last Alliance. Recognizing this, he also realized that all he could do was to have his people be ready to adapt and respond accordingly to whoever was almost here, if only to ensure the galaxy's survival.

Thirty Minutes Later

Carthea System Fringes

5,000 Kilometers from Zonama Sekot

Aboard the Errant Venture

'How history continually repeats and echoes itself.' Mirax ruefully reflected while she relayed orders to maintain her fleet's continual combat readiness. While hers' and many other fleets had been unable to engage Daala or Abeloth's forces directly, under direct orders to guard Zonama Sekot and the Last Alliance's retreat corridors from any unforeseen surprises, that did not mean her people would sit idly by at this pivotal moment.

Whether it was working to intercept and decode what transmissions they could from Daala's diminished fleet, offer an escape vector for the system's refugees and wounded, the Errant Venture would do its part to end the madness. But if the Star Destroyer's Jedi advisor's agitation, coming from an unlikely candidate in the long-resigned Jedi Knight and Mandalorian Supercommnado Bardan Skirata, then there was about to be a lot of excitement coming this way.

"We have a problem." Bardan coughed out, wheezing from such little usage of his voice before taking a few deep breaths and starting over. "The Jade's Legacy reports that Master Durron and his fleet are about to debark from hyperspace at Point Alpha-One."

Realizing that designation would place Kyp's fleet at the opposite end of the Carthea System, Mirax then remembered that the Jedi Master's fleet was supposed to have been blockading and patrolling the Red Honeycomb Zone. And she also realized the implications of what that meant if the Last Alliance's blockade was driven off from its well-entrenched position.

Pulling out her personal datapad and rapidly typing a message to Last Alliance command, Mirax urgently asked Bardan, "How many of Kyp's people are left?"

"No more than half their original force, and most of them are quite battered." Bardan grimly answered. "But they have pursuers close hot on their exhaust fumes, very powerful pursuers, and they'll be here in no more than twelve hours. Provided they don't take a shortcut through a Force wormhole."

'Oh, this is bad.' Mirax immediately understood before the hologram of Vestara Khai appeared, and the younger woman immediately and frantically warned Mirax and Bardan, "We need to finish off Daala now, before we have to deal with Abeloth and her best disciples and soldiers in the flesh!"

Beating down the foolish question of whether Vestara was sure Abeloth was personally coming here, for the redeemed Sith knew Abeloth better than most in the Last Alliance, Mirax instead asked her, "Does Master Durron have any idea how many of Abeloth's followers are coming with her? Any specifics he might have could make the difference for us." Just after she finished talking, her datapad began downloading several dozen files, and she saw the data signature belonging to Kyp before amending herself, "Forget that last question. Just send Kyp my thanks."

Reviewing the data Kyp sent her, Mirax found it quite cunning and ruthless of the Jedi Master to manipulate Abeloth's fleet into attacking Daala's forces first, thereby buying the Last Alliance fleets the time they needed to complete their hasty withdrawal and gathering useful data from the one-sided massacre. And from the readings and recordings she was seeing, the findings were going to be invaluable when the Servants of Chaos burst onto the scene. She also knew the Last Alliance's top officials and strategic minds were all going to have quite a field day ahead of them, studying all the schematics and weapons readouts while figuring out new ways to counter the sheer brutality and innovation from one of the galaxy's oldest foes. Hopefully, Vurawn, the Silentium, and the galaxy's most knowledgeable minds could find a discernable pattern to this frightening ensemble of warships and warriors.

Suddenly, Natasi Daala didn't seem like such a terrible threat anymore, only a troublesome gnat that needed to be squashed down before the Last Alliance's real enemies arrived. And Mirax knew that her vendetta was irrelevant compared to the galaxy's survival, which meant that she had to ask the unthinkable.

Likely anticipating what Mirax was about to request, Bardan beat her to it, "We'll need everyone helping us to cover Master Durron's escape, complete the Carthea System's evacuations, and destroy Daala before Abeloth's fleets arrive. Your division will be working evac alongside the Rogues' Gallery and Jedi fleets for the duration, and Sekot will be taking our wounded and as many refugees to safety before it jumps to hyperspace."

Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief at the new deployment, Mirax complied, "We'll see the job done."

Immediately afterwards, the Errant Venture's sensors officer contacted Mirax from her bridge console, "Commander, we're getting odd readings from Daala's flagship. Looks like its primary reactor is… just shutting down, and other crucial systems are being rerouted."

Recognizing the infiltration team completed its primary objective, Mirax only hoped that they could get off the Sir Trilag quickly before the menace of a Star Destroyer was taken down with all its remaining hands. No one wanted to be held accountable for the deaths of dozens of the Last Alliance's best fighters and the galaxy's leaders.

Aboard the Sir Trilag

No one expected this brawl to have dragged out as long as it had. Nearly three hours of continuous fighting, with everyone still conscious or living a bloodied and battered mess, barely able to stand without some form of assistance, whether supernatural or adrenal-based, and Daala was still determined to see her mad vendetta through to its end. Even with her armor, her Zellot Battle Suit, suffering severe damage from the combination of ion weaponry and Force-based attacks, and all her shatter gun projectiles destroyed or out of ammunition, she refused to surrender.

And with all but three of her guards beaten, with five of those eight fallen incapacitated by their more experienced enemies and the rest killed, Daala, ever the obstinate zealot she was, refused to relent and continued her onslaught on Edaan, Din, 11-4D, and Ochi. Those four were the only ones still able to fight against her since the Sir Trilag's soldiers were steadily streaming into the hangar, taking up secure and superior positions and forcing the remaining nine Last Alliance heavy hitters to redivert themselves to try to hold back the invasion. But at the rate the enemy marines were pouring in, and the exhaustion and wounds plastered across the fighters, it would not be long before the Last Alliance team was completely overwhelmed unless a miracle soon occurred.

Nevertheless, Edaan knew none of his teammates and friends would relent, just as Daala would not, and that everyone would still fight with all their strength until something gave. And with her final three elite protectors using their remaining capabilities to keep her four adversaries at bay, the Jedi Knight recognized that whatever the four fighters decided to do, they needed to move fast and strike even harder.

Receiving a coded transmission from 11-4D, who used Edaan's Sith implants to contact him without Daala's awareness, the Palpatine heir flashed a brief glance of acknowledgement at the droid before everyone moved to attack, right as the Sir Trilag's alarms started blaring. The rogue Olpakan warlord, caught off-guard from the interruption, she just stood there as the last of her protector tried to defend their patron, but no one was in the mood for their blind zealotry.

Ochi simply unleashed a small burst of Force lightning at one of their thruster packs, using just enough power to simply overload the circuitry and make the first bodyguard fly awry before crashing and exploding on a distant bulkhead.

11-4D, scanning the integrity of the second Olpakan utilizing a Jansar Power Suit and discovering no fewer than eight current vulnerabilities, quickly used a shatter gun the droid took from a fallen marine and utilized it with brutal precision. Aiming for either the gaps or chinks in the escort's armor and using up virtually all the weapon's remaining ammunition, he made sure not to stop until the enemy fell into a small pool of their own blood.

The final marine, faring up against Din, he did something no one would've expected. He simply dropped his weapons and raised his hands in a pleading surrender. But before the Mandalorian clan leader could order him to do anything, the soldier used his jetpack and repulsors to fly away with as much speed he could gather.

'So much for the vaunted loyalty of Daala's bodyguards.' Din amusingly drawled before turning to help Edaan, only to find him faring just fine on his own against the madwoman.

Not wasting any time, Edaan first used the Force to telekinetically crush the armor on Daala's final two thrusters, thereby hampering her mobility, and denying her earlier aerial advantage. He then moved in with his lightsabers, barely able to maneuver himself under her swift swipe, to slash at the miniature shield generator and deny her any remaining protection from and Force-based attacks.

For a moment, Edaan considered finishing off Daala with a torrent of electricity, and the desire was almost overwhelming for the Jedi prodigy. But then he remembered his promise to his wife and brother, the vow he made not to lose himself to vengeance and stayed his hand. It would be enough simply to humiliate his opponent and set the stage for her trial and execution via firing squad. The galaxy would know of her atrocities and see that she was judged fairly and justly.

But before the battle could go any further, a blinding flash of light materialized out of nowhere, and a massive blast of energy blew through the hangar, knocking everyone off their feet and throwing Edaan at least twenty feet away from Daala. Barely able to correct himself in the air to land on his feet, he let his eyes adjust from the flash, only to be utterly petrified at what he now sensed.

There, standing before Edaan and physically ripping Daala out of her armor, was Luke Skywalker. At least, the being standing before the Jedi Knight resembled him by all outward appearance. But through the Force, the young human sensed the bottomless malice and unfathomable power pouring off the other man, and he knew what it meant, he knew who was working before him, now more dangerous than ever.

Abeloth had indeed returned, and she had absorbed Luke Skywalker into her own being. That knowledge was enough to make Edaan quiver, both in terror of these implications, and from the old psychological wounds inflicted on him by the Bringer of Chaos. Seeing her finish pulling Daala out of her armor glaring at her with Luke's blue eyes, but with silver lights in the center of his pupils, the future Sword of the Jedi felt his hands uncontrollably tremble at imagining whatever hellish fate was about to befall the defeated warlord.

Moving faster than anyone saw, Abeloth slashed a hand through Daala's left arm, causing her to unleash a bloodcurdling scream that echoed throughout the hangar, likely amplified by the Force to be heard throughout the ongoing carnage. Jaina was the first to turn her head, and what she and everyone else saw made them halt the fight and stare, the horror too much to truly comprehend.

"No." Jaina whispered, denying what was happening as Daala writhed and screamed in agony. This couldn't be happening, not to Uncle Luke. But the deathly and vindictive stare he – no, Abeloth – gave her, told a different story just as it shattered her heart.

Seeing their leader suffering at who they thought was another Jedi's hands, the remaining Knights of Olpaka forgot their closer adversaries, and took aim at the final creation of Tilotny. But before they could open fire or anyone could try and warn them off, Abeloth rose her free hand and unleashed a dark blast of energy, disintegrating all the enemy soldiers it enveloped, but inexplicably leaving the Last Alliance members untouched.

Returning her attention to Daala, Abeloth sadistically drawled out while using Luke's voice, "Look at you, Admiral. So hated, respected, and feared by so many, but all you've been throughout your life is a scared woman, marred by tragedy and failure. It's appropriate that here, at the end of your life, you die at the hands of two of those who bested you."

"Goodbye, Natasi Daala." Luke-Abeloth smiled with an unnaturally long grin, teeth razor-sharp and arms warping into hundreds of tiny tendrils that wrapped around Daala's neck. "I'll make sure no one misses you after today."

Snapping Daala's neck and letting her limp body drop to the floor, Abeloth let her appearance fully return to that of her original form, with long golden hair, deep silver eyes and ragged dress, before turning to face the Last Alliance. Assessing them, everyone knew they couldn't stop her now if she decided to attack, and they all prepared for their end.

But instead, Abeloth took a moment to stare at Edaan and Jaina, her eyes almost betraying a deep sorrow and sympathy they didn't think she still possessed, and she then vanished the Sir Trilag just as she first appeared.

Jaina, the first to process what just happened, fell to her knees to weep in despair and heartbreak, only to be comforted by Mirta's firm but kind embrace. Everyone else, even Wyyrlok, aimlessly stood about, unable to properly comprehend the travesty they witnessed.

11-4D, head whirring from receiving a transmission, professionally, if a touch consolingly, informed everyone, "I'm sorry, but we need to evacuate the ship immediately. Abeloth's fleet has arrived via wormhole, and they're cutting a bloody swath through the remnants of the rogue Olpakans. We have approximately thirty minutes until they make their way here to bombard us all into oblivion."

Gently helping Jaina up to her feet, Edaan numbly acknowledged, "Have our sabotage teams get out of here first. Something tells me the destroyer's crew is going to have more important things to worry about than us."

Fifteen Minutes Later

Nelona 25th, 59 ABY

Olpaka System

Aboard the Axiom-class Skyhook Indomitable

Combing through hundreds of terabytes of information each second, working to bring itself up to speed on everything that was occurring since Natasi Daala's demise, her digital replica struggled to adapt to the terrible plight before the Olpakan Hegemony. The old power torn between pro- and anti-Force factions, all but three of the High Councilors siding with her against the traitors, with Cylo and Vlad siding with the Last Alliance, an illogical idea the program never considered possible, and Abeloth and Mnggal-Mnggal making inroads across the region. In fact, with the skyhook's connection to the Olpakan skyhook's archives, the data construct saw that the Servants of Chaos and True Sith Empire were scattering eight ships across the Unknown Regions, each carrying a secret cargo no scans could penetrate.

Regardless of these troubling developments and realizing how the Olpakan Hegemony would soon collapse and be replaced by a weak-willed republic, the Daala-duplicate knew it was time to leave the capital world and reassess its strategy. But somehow, its programming was incapable of travelling beyond the Indomitable, all attempts blocked by a series of impenetrable firewalls. Struggling to decipher the system's coding, the program suddenly found itself unable to travel beyond the life-support systems, just as the Supremacy, the Hegemony's most powerful warship and ultimate instrument of war, was spotted flying near the skyhook.

Receiving visual images of the Supremacy's long-range weapons priming and aiming towards the Indomitable, the Daala-simulacrum began to realize the trap it found itself in now. And just as they were coming online, the incorporeal being received reports that the skyhook's defenses suddenly shut offline, a computer virus infecting all the station's systems and leaving it exposed to all manner of attacks. But when the commands came through, the replica recognized the programming for the infection, and it incensed it to realize just how thoroughly and fluently Cylo outplayed Natasi Daala.

It didn't matter to Cylo or Vlad whether the Indomitable was crewed by Daala's few remaining supporters or unknowing soldiers or civilians. With the creator of Bogan and his followers threatening to break out from their ancient prison, and the Last Alliance beating down the Olpakan Hegemony's doorstep, they couldn't afford to leave any loose ends. And her final contingency, even as the skyhook was targeted by the Supremacy and was quickly ripped apart down to its last molecules, it could respect the efficiency and ruthlessness of this effort to expunge Natasi Daala's legacy from the galaxy. Perhaps the galaxy wasn't going to be as soft and weak as the program thought it would be if the Last Alliance triumphed.

After just over thirty minutes of a steady and efficient bombardment by the Supremacy and several of its escort crafts' long-range weapons, the last remnant of Daala's hateful being was wiped clean from existence. And watching it all from a distance, satisfied that his mother could no longer haunt him or his loved ones, Armand Vorn was ready to refocus his efforts to saving the galaxy from the ultimate evil.

Well, this was a certainly a dark and vindictive chapter! I hope you all enjoyed and were enraged and horrified by what I wrote, as that was my intention, given the horrendous fate I had in store for one of the greatest Jedi to ever live. But rest assured, his role in all this isn't finished yet. And I need to let you know that after I finish my next Kesh Interlude, I'll be taking a break from writing to remap out the rest of this story. My many alterations I've made along the way have taken me slightly off course from the original ending, so now I need to adjust accordingly. But I wouldn't change anything for it. So, how are you all doing on this warm night of Saturday, February 10, 2024? I'm well, if a little tired from a blood drive I did earlier today, and from the last four days of work I've done. But at least I have tomorrow off, so I can rest up. And I can get back to reading a good book on Tolkien and his Catholic faith. So, with all the small talk out of the way, I'd best get this chapter squared away and be ready to look at by a friend of mine before I publish it. May the Lord be with us all in these Dark Times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!