Good evening, everyone! How are you all doing on this cool night of Friday, November 10, 2023? I'm all right, as I had a day off from work today and read a bit of two books, my copy of Joseph Bongiorno's Supernatural Encounters and the autobiography on Israel's current prime minister. They're both great reads for widely different reasons. And I made a few revisions for this chapter draft, to improve the story, so I hope it is more enjoyable for you all when it's published. So, I hope you all are staying safe and sane in these mad times, as it seems the world is falling apart before our very eyes. I honestly don't know how God will put things right, but I hope it comes sooner rather than later, as I can't take much more of this madness. In other news, I'm going to be giving blood tomorrow, so I'll be resting a lot in the afternoon. And on that note, I'd best get started on this chapter while I still have a few hours left in the night. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

Kelona 26th, 58 ABY

Keshtah Minor Farmlands

Town of Rees

Everything happened so fast, there was no time for their enemy to rally. Sneaking into the large village in the dead of night and silencing anyone who neared too close to sound the alarm, the small army quickly began their bloody work.

Having been tipped off to their quarry's exact location by double agents, the first teams ignited their lightsabers of many different colors and commenced the attack alongside their military auxiliaries.

Catching everyone's attention, the Neshtovar and their allies, long expecting such an inevitable battle and had spent many months preparing for the eventuality, rose to meet the challenge with whatever weapons and tools they were able to scrounge up. From many modern weapons to far more of the traditional tools of the Kesh-born natives, the town, a major hub of activity for its proximity to the center of crops for the continent, was a small but strong fortress whose inhabitants would defend their way of life to the death.

If the Jedi wanted to finish eradicating the Neshtovar just as they had the leadership, then they would find it a costly war. But before the two forces could meet in battle, the town found itself bombarded by a barrage of attacks, this bunch unlike any the town's citizens had ever encountered before. From fireballs to gusty icy storms that wrought havoc on the defenders, it seemed the elements themselves had turned against them.

Unfortunately, the madness didn't stop there, with blood curdling screams echoing throughout dozens of buildings as the death squads carried out their heinous work. Eliminating many of the Neshtovar's key leaders and contacts, the assassins had swiftly crushed the head of this troublesome nuisance, and now all that remained was to destroy its twitching corpse.

Caught between the two main assault forces and left leaderless, the Neshtovar and their sympathizers were quickly routed and destroyed to the last fighter. In less than an hour, with less than fifty casualties of their own, the larger force had triumphed and removed another troublesome obstacle toward their ultimate objective.

After the invading horde departed the area, the leader of this force, a veiled woman with hateful yellow eyes, pulled out her holocomm and reported to her master. Seeing the hologram of an expectant Darth Kitai, Belot quickly began, "The Neshtovar and all their allies have been eradicated in Rees, and everyone will believe the Jedi are responsible for this deed."

"And our allies?" Kitai stoically asked.

"They all performed above all expectations." Belot gleefully answered. "The traitors never knew what hit them, and no one can trace them back to us."

"Good. Report back to base to receive your next assignment." Kitai solemnly acknowledged, confusing her apprentice at the lack of emotion over what should be a jubilant occasion before the Sith leader closed the comm channel.

After the disaster of trying to capture or destroy the Neshtovar and implicate the Jedi, the Lost Tribe had been hard at work turning this potential disaster into a great opportunity. And thanks to Kitai's liberal and unorthodox strategy and excellent use of her allies, especially the Shapers of Kro Var, Mecrosa Order, Ember of Vahl, and Raze's private military outfit, the rebels had found themselves utterly decimated while implicating the Jedi for the recent string of murders. And by hitting over thirty rebel-allied villages in the last two days, this would be a disaster no one could ignore, and with the proper guidance, the public would be sent into a frenzy and the invaders would soon be outmaneuvered and overpowered in every way.

So why, then, was Kitai lacking the joy Belot was now feeling? Was she feeling misplaced sympathy for the traitors and the rest of the Tribe's victims, or was it something else bothering the Grand Lady? Perhaps, when the opportunity next arose, she should ask her and determine how she could best help her people attain the glory they rightfully deserved, all while seizing some for herself and a well-deserved promotion.

Kelona 27th, 58 ABY

Eorm, Town Hall

"It's the same as all the other towns." Jogan exhaustively informed Adari and the Jedi assembly. "Every Neshtovar and their friends in Rees are dead, and the remains…" He bitterly paused, catching his breath before finishing, "Well, there won't even be enough for a cremation this time, let alone a proper burial."

"Thank you, Jogan. Go and try to get some rest." Adari gently dismissed her longtime advisor and companion. Seeing her friend depart, she bitterly warned the Jedi, "This is all the work of Vestara's allies, and we'd soon best be ready to retaliate. That's thirty-five villages or cities her followers have raided over the last two days all over the world, and it's only going to get worse unless we can stop her soon."

"And we will strike back, but we also need more information and be prepared to defend ourselves and the people here." Kyle patiently reminded Adari. "She's whipping the populace into a frenzy against us, and if we go after her now, we'll be playing right into her hands and whatever ambush she's preparing for us."

"That assessment is all well and good, Grand Master, but it won't do us much good if the Sith retain control of our home and my people. And while we deliberate over the best course of action, they'll continue using their death squads to enslave my people again and send their armies against us." Adari curtly countered, opening the way to a new round of arguing between every commander. Many argued over the course of action the Jedi Coalition should take, while an almost equal number tried to seek calm.

"Then let's stop yelling at each other and start planning our next move." Allana firmly interjected, briefly igniting her lightsaber to put an end to all the quarreling. "We know Vestara and her Sith are leading a false propaganda charge against us, so let's do what we can to undo her case and turn the public to side with our cause."

Edaan, seeing what Allana was trying to do, picked up on her proposal, "Adari, you know this planet inside and out. You know where and how the Tribe and its hired guns work and fight, and you run a blasted good information network that can operate in virtually any condition."

"Where are you two going with this?" Desha curiously inquired, the well-honed gears in her mind working overtime to figure out a way to retaliate against these massacres. "Considering how this planet is currently dominated by the Sith and they control all forms of communication across all the continents, I doubt typical methods of speaking the truth to this populace."

"I believe they're inferring that the Neshtovar can help us identify the Sith's weak points and show us how to outmaneuver their forces, just for starters." Akku inferred. "As for proving to the public that the Neshtovar and Jedi haven't been behind these attacks, I'm sure we can find a communications hub that can help spread our own message to the planet's citizens."

"I can help with that." Adari agreed. "I know of at least three such regional outposts on this side of the continent, and I've got a few contacts that can help us get close to any of them."

"Then we'd best get started planning this operation immediately, as well as our defense of this region." Kara wisely proposed. "While you all work to spread the good word, we need to hold the line and keep the peace while preparing for the Sith's inevitable attack on us."

"Whoever we send will need to go under complete radio silence for this mission to have a chance of success." Sidon warned everyone. "That means no communications or Force signals, so you'll be going in dark and without virtually any support."

"We've done many more dangerous missions with worse odds than this." Ben indifferently shrugged, his calm demeanor hiding the coiled-up anticipation he felt at the risk of facing Vestara again. If he faced her during this mission, he feared what he might do to everyone around him. But he knew there were more important things than retribution, and if Edaan was right and there was a slim chance of saving his one time girlfriend, did he not owe it to the woman he loved to try and save her? "All we need to decide now is when do we start."

"Well, first, I might suggest that you record a message for the populace, one which details the truth of our arrangement with each other." Wynn wisely suggested. "From there, we pick our target and learn all we can about it."

Kelona 32nd, 58 ABY

Continent of Keshtah Minor

Sessal Spire

Listening Post Takara

Silently navigating their way through the mountainside facility, the Jedi-Neshtovar squad could hardly believe their good fortune in making it this far without any complications.

After the Jedi Coalition decided on hitting the Sessal Spire, a mountainous region centered around a now-dormant volcano that had long served as a sacred site to the Lost Tribe and Keshiri, plans were made to infiltrate a troop transport and utilize the region's sole observation center for their counterpropaganda.

Thanks to the Jedi's privateer allies and their informants in the Sith's criminal backers, they had found a prime target to intercept and occupy without anyone being the wiser. And with their veteran help in Mirax Terrik Horn and Akku using theirs' and the Neshtovar's information to bluff their way through the enemy defenders and stall them with a healthy dose of off-world delicacies and entertainment, the ten-man team had been given ample time to proceed to their objective.

Arriving just outside the data vaults while evading or incapacitating the few remaining on-duty guards, Zekk Zel and Adari, two of the three leaders for this joint operation, stood guard while Sidon, the final commander, worked to bypass security and deactivate the many defenses that protected their target. After ten minutes of anxious waiting, the laser motion sensors and durasteel doors were disarmed, and the data vault was laid bare before the eager seekers.

Slowly entering, all while on the lookout for any remaining traps or concealed defenses that might be lying in wait, the unlikely squad saw the layout of the data center, with Adari recognizing its layout from the replication of the ancient Sith mining vessel Omen's bridge. Having studied the ancient designs of the Lost Tribe's most sacred vessel, she was able to lead the team to the main computer, allowing Sidon and Robonino to start their work.

By utilizing technology well beyond Adari's limited experience, Sidon's custom "computer spike" would work its way into the central network and locate all information on the Neshtovar's systematic decimation before sending a copy to the Jedi's headquarters on Eorm. And thanks to Robonino's prodigious slicing abilities and the Keshiri's few like-minded practitioners, the Sith would be none the wiser until it was too late.

After five minutes of dramatically slow progress, Sidon told Zekk, "Phase One is complete. We're in and undetected."

"Good." Zekk nodded, stepping towards the console to start his part of the mission. Typing a series of commands into the computer, he swiftly found what he was looking for. Pulling out three more spikes, he implanted the first one next to a ventilation shaft, which began hissing from a high dose of anesthetic gas. Everyone firmly placed their air filtrates on, the Jedi Master handed the second spike to Robonino, telling him, "Put this one into the main server. It'll upload our virus into the entire comm network and allow us to intercept over 20% of all the Sith's signals and give us a way into their entire data network."

"You don't need to tell me twice." Robonino enthusiastically promised before scurrying off to complete the task.

Adari, growing more anxious with each passing moment, impatiently implored, "How much longer until we can upload our broadcast?"

"That's what this final spike is for, Commander Thayn." Sidon calmly assured his fellow leader with her newly appointed rank before escorting her to the secondary communication terminal and uploading it. "We just need to get back to our transports before the message starts, or this whole place will become a lot livelier very quickly."

"And I would advise you to endeavor to stay calm under pressure. If your fellow rebels see you panic so easily, they will follow suit and leave you all at risk to defeat." Sidon counseled Adari.

"Sorry." Adari apologized. "I'm just not as proficient with this advanced technology as you all."

"Well, when we make it back to friendly territory, we'll gladly give you plenty of lessons in a wide array of skills, especially in using our more advanced technology." Sidon offered before his comm gauntlet beeped, signifying that Mirax's distraction was almost over. Seeing that Robonion and Zekk were completing each of their tasks, the Delphidian privateer added, "Let's get moving."

One Hour Later

Kelona 33rd, 58 ABY

Continent of Alanciar/Keshtah Major

New Tahv, Sith Citadel

"Everything is proceeding just as you predicted, Grand Lady." Takaris commended Kitai as they oversaw their ongoing operations against the Jedi stronghold of Eorm. "The Jedi can't withstand our siege for much longer, not without dropping their restraints and fall to our traps."

"Save the compliments for only after we emerge victorious, Yur." The Lost Tribe's leader implored her trusted advisor. "There are still too many variables in this strategy that could yet be compromised."

"True enough." Takaris conceded, acknowledging how even the best-laid plans could fall apart from an infinite number of influences.

After the last heated deliberations between the Lost Tribe's allies over their retaliation strategy, every member had been working overtime to undermine the Neshtovar and deprive the Jedi of a crucial ally in any conceivable way. And thanks to the Mecrosa and Shapers of Kro Var leading the extermination of the rebels while Raze's syndicate worked to disseminate the Sith's message, public sentiment had sharply turned against their shared foes while ensuring the public's fidelity to their betters.

And with all but a handful of Kesh's civilians and serfs now unwilling to offer shelter to any of their enemies, the time was ripe to unleash hellfire on their disloyal brethren in the Jedi's sole stronghold on the planet. Between the regular raids on Eorm's outskirts, infiltrating the port for countless possible acts of sabotage, and spewing a constant barrage of demoralizing propaganda, it was only a matter of time before the resistance collapsed and their benefactors were forced to devise a new strategy. That would especially be true when the Lost Tribe and its partners brought their full power down on the enemy and drove them all off-world for a while longer, at least until another invasion force arrived, larger and ready to eliminate any who stood in their way. But by that point, the planet's population would be long gone from this world and ready to fight to establish their rule over the entire galaxy under hers' and Lord Krayt's guidance.

Mysteriously, though, there were several prominent figures in the Jedi's army that were not present in their failing defense of Eorm. Edaan Palpatine, Allana Djo Solo, Jagged Fel, Akku Seii II, Adari Thayn, and her dear Ben, were all missing from the battles raging, and none of Kitai's people could locate them through any means. Not even her Sith seers nor Ship were able to find the unaccounted enemies, and that troubled her more than she cared to admit.

Blazing through the two Sith's thoughts, Ship mentally called out to both Kitai and Takaris, 'I have located all your missing quarry. They are fleeing the Sessal Spire and heading back towards their occupied territory.'

"The Sessal Spire?" Takaris confusingly repeated. "What could they want out there…? The data vaults."

"It's worse than that." Kitai bitterly figured out, berating herself at how vastly the Jedi and Neshtovar had outplayed her this time. "Takara Outpost has a fully equipped comm center that can reach across the entire planet and has connections to all our major strongholds and auxiliaries. They're going to dispel our propaganda, turn the planet against itself, and learn all they need on how to pick our alliance apart."

Just then, Jesko's hologram intruded, with the Sith Lord warning his superior, "Forgive me, Grand Lady, but we have a dire situation erupting across the planet."

"I already know exactly what you're calling about." Kitai grimly acknowledged as dozens of comm signals could be heard buzzing in the control center, each coming from a regional outpost. Switching her feed to the Tribe's primary HoloNet channel, she bristled at seeing Adari Thayn, leader of the reborn Neshtovar, standing before the holocam as she addressed the entire world through their hijacked comm station.

"Most of you only know me as Adari Thayn, the leader of the Neshtovar, a supposed terrorist organization that is bent on destroying the Lost Tribe of the Sith and all the foundations of our civilization. And that we would sell out our home and guardians to their sworn enemies, the Jedi Order." Adari imploringly began. "But that is only a small and heavily distorted piece of the entire story."

"For more than five thousand years, we faithfully believed in the Sith, thinking them to be the servants of the Protectors of our religion. We allowed ourselves to be little more than slaves to the Lost Tribe, building their monuments and cities while most of our people languished in serfdom and suffered from countless betrayals and intrigues on all sides."

"I too once believed in the lies the Sith told, believing that power belonged only to the worthy and that all others deserved to serve in whatever capacity they desired. Like hundreds of thousands of Keshiri before me, I shared their convictions, being the only belief system that we held. And when I was a young Tyro, preparing to journey to our founders' Sith Temple and begin my training in the Dark Side, that was when tragedy struck all of Kesh."

Kitai, turning back to Jesko, heatedly ordered, "Shut down Takara Station's comm capabilities immediately. Better to lose one station for a little while than let the planet slip into chaos."

"I've already given the order, but the crews are locked out of all essential systems. I've redeployed three of our heavy cruisers to strike in just over four minutes." Jesko faithfully stated.

"-hungry for vengeance against the Jedi and desperate to seize control of the galaxy, that we entered into a pact with Abeloth, a monstrous entity that betrayed our hospitality and destroyed the city of Tahv, killing millions of our own before enslaving the rest to serve her whims. And among those destroyed were my family." Adari heartbrokenly continued, shocking everyone at the daring admission.

'So, that is the reason she rebelled against the Sith.' Kitai concluded, her heart gripped in sympathy for the defector, herself having suffered dearly from the Celestial monstrosity's betrayal and act of spiteful destruction. It wasn't simply out of an ideological divergence that Adari left the Tribe, but a broken heart over the deaths the Sith invited against their own.

Suddenly, the explanation over how the Neshtovar grew so numerous and dangerous since its recent revival was also made clear to Kitai. Adari had played on the bitterness and hopelessness of tens of thousands of lost souls to rally them all to her cause, using her training and whatever she could learn from the rest of the galaxy on how to whip them into an effective fighting force. And now they had enacted a pact with the Jedi to ensure another disaster like Tahv's annihilation never occurred again.

"Many of you might believe the lies the Sith told on the Jedi, and that they seek our annihilation alongside their mortal enemies. For that is what you were told when you learnt of the dozens of massacres that have been transpiring across our world, and when they allegedly kidnapped me and my subordinates as Grand Lady Vestara Khai claims. Well, I am here to disprove all those allegations and set the record straight."

"The Neshtovar were invited to secret talks with the Jedi to discuss our grievances and see if it was possible to lay aside our differences in pursuit of a common goal. And as the summit was nearing its conclusion, Vestara and her agents sprung their trap and tried to eradicate us all and implicate her enemies for the heinous deed." Switching the holofeed to an image of the dead left behind at the Neshtovar's old hideout at the Ragnos Lakes, Adari paused for a moment to allow the audience to process the visual feed.

"It was only through the Jedi and their escort that any of us survived and were able to deliver this message to you all. But this is not the only recent lie the Sith have told." The holofeed changing again, Kitai felt herself turning pale to see a recording of her disguised forces assaulting the Neshtovar hideouts. Seeing the carnage her followers and allies unleashed, how the Shapers of Kro Var and Vahla used the Force to incinerate many resistance fighters and civilians, it filled her with sorrow at a level her hardened heart did not know she was still capable of possessing.

Just then, the signal cut out, and Jesko addressed his leader again, his voice laced with exhausted relief as he answered, "It's done. The outpost array is destroyed. I'll be sending in teams momentarily to ascertain the extent of the damage and see what the Jedi uncovered there."

"Don't send anyone in yet." Kitai hastily ordered, stunned at how afraid she sounded before composing herself to amend her command, "I will be journeying there myself to learn what advantages we've lost. We don't know what surprises the Jedi might've left behind, or who we can trust with many of the secrets the outpost possesses."

Seeing his mistress's point, Jesko nodded, "I'll set up a guard detail over the Sessal Spire immediately, then." Hesitating, he asked, "But what of your followers still fighting at the Jedi's headquarters?"

"Recall everyone. Instruct all team leaders to make sure that none of our own are left behind to be captured by the Jedi or their collaborators." Kitai sadly ordered. "I don't think any of our enemies will be in a merciful mood, nor will many of our supporters tick with us once they all learn just how deep our betrayal of our people goes."

Selona 3rd, 58 ABY

Eorm, Jedi Headquarters

"This is a historic day for the people of Kesh!" Adari joyously proclaimed to her fellow Neshtovar and the regional mayors that had agreed to this impromptu meeting. "No longer will our people be enslaved to evil, no longer will we ignore the injustices that have permeated every fabric of our planet and culture! By working with those that truly stand for righteousness amidst the evils of war, we will all rediscover what it means to be a valorous people and find our genuine place in the greater galaxy. And it will be through our just and lasting pact with the Jedi that our salvation is at hand, just as it was with the Yuuzhan Vong twenty-nine years ago."

After the last of the Lost Tribe forces withdrew or surrendered, the Jedi and Neshtovar had spent the last five days reaching out to the region's villages and cities. Adari and her supporters had informed them all about the Lost Tribe's orchestration of the systematic targeting of rebel-sympathetic cities and the full extent of their depraved alliance with the criminal element.

While most local leaders could barely believe the full implications of what this deception meant, along with the understanding that the Sith's rule was coming to an end, the Jedi had done well in convincing them of how they did not seek the planet's razing, but rather its liberation. And by vowing to work with them and the Neshtovar in expunging the Lost Tribe and their many allies from Kesh, the Jedi's confederation now had the cooperation of most mayors and their deputies, with the few holdouts agreeing not to interfere in their war or offer aid to their shared enemies.

"And to mark the occasion, I wish for you to meet those that from the stars will work alongside us as we expunge the Lost Tribe from existence." Adari gestured towards the off-worlder assembly. Allowing the local leaders to turn towards Ben Skywalker, Edaan Palpatine, Allana Djo Solo, Jagged Fel, Sidon Ithano, Akku Seii II, Zekk Zel, Wyn and Desha Dorvan, and the rest of the twenty dignitaries, she continued, "These brave individuals have agreed to work as liaisons between both our powers as we establish a new government on Kesh and help integrate our world into the galactic community."

"It will not be an easy endeavor that we are setting out to accomplish, this is obvious to all of us." Adari warned everyone. "There will be many who doubt our sincerity or remain loyal to the Sith and seek to undermine this great movement, and there will be much upheaval as we experiment with methods, concepts, and ideas we've never considered before. This will especially be true as we set out to dismantle the Lost Tribe's hold over our people and forge a new unity among our many cultural divisions."

"But through our commitment to the people we swore to represent and serve, and the counsel of those that have experience with forging a new path from the ashes of a corrupt system, we will flourish in the years and decades to come." Adari promised. "And it starts right here, right now!" Hearing the cheers and applause erupt from the audience, it filled her with renewed hope that her dream would soon be within reach and her people could finally take control of their own fates again.

One Hour Later

Eorm's Spaceport, Aboard the Light Courier Raven's Claw

"How does it feel to be an official ambassador in the middle of a war, my latest pupil?" Kyle casually asked Edaan. "Is the weight of responsibility I've thrust upon you starting to set in yet?"

"More like crushing me." Edaan faux-dully responded. But noticing the serious glint in his teacher's eyes, he sighed, "What's this meeting actually about, Kyle?"

"It's about your so-called secret goal, and how you'll have to proceed more carefully than ever before in your desperation to save Vestara Khai." Said a voice Edaan dreaded to hear more than any other. Seeing the new arrival of Ben Skywalker as the Jedi Master entering Kyle's personal ship, the last Palpatine barely restrained himself from unleashing a dying groan.

Slowly turning to face Kyle, Edaan despairingly asked, "Why is he here, Master?"

"Because you're going to be working with Master Skywalker quite frequently while we're here, and there cannot be any secrets between you two in such a crucial multi-faceted endeavor." Kyle simply explained. "And since he's willing to work with you in trying to save his first love, I felt it best to tell him everything about your personal mission, just so you're both on the same page before this intricate war progresses any further."

Every verbal comeback dying on his lips at the disclosure, Edaan's mouth remained slack open as he stared at Ben, unable to speak at all. The Jedi Master, an amused smile creasing his face, politely told Kyle, "I guess this wasn't a scenario your apprentice ever could've anticipated."

"Well, you have been trying to capture or kill Vestara for about fourteen years, Ben." Kyle humorously agreed. But he quickly grew solemn as he loudly addressed his student, "Edaan."

Snapping out of his reverie, Edaan bitterly glared at Kyle, "Why would you tell him this? Forgive me, but Master Skywalker, he's been steeped in hate for so long, obsessed with destroying Vestara and anyone who follows her. And you swore that my quest would remain a secret from him and his family until the time was right."

"You're right." Ben ruefully acknowledged. "And, truth be told, there's a part of me that still wants to make Vestara pay for her crimes and betrayals. But if I kill her out of hate, I'd be dishonoring everything I've fought for and open myself up to the Dark Side."

Seeing Edaan silently nod to concede that point, Ben earnestly continued, "Besides, if a young man who only talked with Vestara once, when she tried to walk a better path and showed you kindness at one of your lowest points hasn't given up on her, how could I do anything less in the name of love and forgiveness?"

"So, you're saying you want us to work together in saving Vestara?" Edaan skeptically concluded. "How do I know you won't renege on your promise later on?"

"Because I'm not going to give up this time." Ben earnestly stated. "When Vestara needed me the most, when she was slipping back into her old roots, I did nothing but abandon her and write her off as a lost cause. And because of the decision, millions are dead or ruined and the Sith have grown that much more powerful because of my hypocrisy and her misdeeds."

"It's long past time that I take responsibility for my failures and help heal the wounds of the past, no matter what might happen to me." Ben firmly resolved. "And I'm going to need your help in that regard, Edaan, because you've kept that flame of hope alive through all these years where I refused to."

"Edaan, you've done more for the galaxy in the last thirteen years than most leaders could do in a lifetime. You've been helping knit this broken galaxy back together without compromising your principles and beliefs, all while building up an impressive network of friends and favors to help the Jedi. Only now, you don't have to carry this weighty burden on your own anymore." Kyle implored the conflicted young man before both older Jedi.

Starting to deeply pant, Edaan sat down in the adjacent chair, and began weeping from overwhelming joy over what he was hearing. Finally, he would no longer need to keep the secret from everyone any longer, nor would any of his confederates both within and beyond the Jedi Order. At last, he could open his heart and show his resolve without reservation. Sure, his quest would still need to be confidential from the greater galaxy, especially as the war on Kesh progressed, but now he and his trusted friends could work together towards their shared goal.

And Ben had finally seen the error of his hateful rampage and would dedicate his energies to redemption over vengeance. That alone encouraged Edaan more than he could possibly measure.

Wiping the tears from his face and regaining control over his emotions, Edaan profusely told both Ben and Kyle, "Thank you."

Gripping Edaan's shoulder in gratitude, Ben kindly clarified, "I think I'm the one who ought to be thanking you, Edaan Palpatine. Now, let's see what we can do in saving all those we can out here, especially our mutual target."

Well, I'd say this ends the chapter in a satisfactory place. Sorry it wasn't as long as it could've., or perhaps should've been, but I didn't want to get bogged down too much in every small detail. I'm not like An Origami Fish or lordtrayus, but I try to do my best with my own talents. But I hope it helps show how the seeds of the Lost Tribe's final defeat are being sown, and the Jedi and Neshtovar are starting to work together against their mutual foe. And I do acknowledge that my portrayal of Ben Skywalker is contradictory to how he was presented at the start of the saga, but I have a plan for the change in behavior later on. Here's a hint, what happens to Ben will be like that of a minor character in the novel Star Wars: Death Star and what happened around the time of a major assault. Hope you can figure it out. So, how are you all doing on this cool day of Monday, November 13, 2023? I'm okay, if a little disappointed because I apparently won't be working this week. But it isn't all bad, I was able to help my parents out with some yard work, housecleaning, and grocery shopping. It's been a good day. And it'll only get better tomorrow when two relatives of mine come from Missouri to visit for the day. I hope you all have a blessed day, and I hope you all enjoy what comes next. May the Lord be with us all, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!