Hey, everyone! How are you all doing on this warm night of Sunday, July 23, 2023? I'm good, as I had a restful day of relaxing, reading, and publishing my last chapter all throughout the day. Well, the relaxing is over tomorrow, as I've got to work five out of the next six days at the library. It'll probably be exhausting, but worth it to get more experience and pay from my internship. Oh, and I'm closing in on finishing The History of the Hobbit, and then I'll get started on a new book I checked out from the library. It'll hopefully be a good read. Well, I'd best start writing now, as I want to get some of this chapter done before I go to bed in an hour or so. May God be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
One Hour Later
Telona 16th, 59 ABY
Csilla System
Aboard the Cal Omas
Kyp Durron could hardly believe how easily the enemy had breached the Alliance of Light's formations and how the Guardian-class Super Star Destroyer, along with dozens of other major Alliance ships, was now under siege. After Kung'urama'nuruodo's second fleet had arrived to escalate the ongoing battle, the tide of war had sharply turned towards the Abeloth-loyalists.
With this influx of hundreds of enemy ships swarming over the strongest line of defense and wreaking havoc across the system, it was stretching the Jedi-led force to the breaking point. Not even the second wave of Alliance fleets, composed of all the Chiss Ascendancy's vassals-turned-allies and the reserve Jedi and their friends could hold Kung'urama'nuruodo's force back for long. And the One Sith, while they provided a distraction for a portion of their shared enemies, the force they brought was not enough to stall or break the ships of Abeloth's thralls.
Bearing weapons unlike any that the known galaxy had observed, destroying virtually all that laid within their path, the chaos and destruction Kung'urama'nuruodo's fleet wrought allowed him to deploy fifty strike teams to hit the Cal Omas, the Ralroost, and virtually every other flagship in the Alliance of Light's armada. But the fifteen raiding parties hitting the Alliance of Light's flagship were among the deadliest of Abeloth's forces, with the Mon Calamari-made Super Star Destroyer suffering many wounds from damaged sectors.
But those who made up the commando teams were beings that appeared to be ordinary beings from many different species, with armor and weapons that were used by the Imperials and Neo Death Watch but possessed a strength in the Force impossible for all but the most experienced Force Users. Something was terribly wrong here, and figuring out the truth could make the difference between victory and defeat for all of creation.
Even more impossible was how one of the rogue Mandalorians was one Kyp recognized perfectly for his heinous crimes against the Jedi and free galaxy: Belok Rhal. But that could not be, for he was supposed to be nothing but subatomic particles above Korriban when the Jedi last struck the homeworld of the ancient Sith, and he was never able to wield the Force back then. Well, whoever this man was, his Mandalorian training with his incredible Force connection made him a terrible threat to everyone aboard the Cal Omas.
And the lead Imperial that fought alongside the Belok-lookalike looked exactly like Gideon Hask, who was supposed to be imprisoned on Bastion for siding with Admiral Daala and the Knights of Olpaka, but here he was. And like the Neo Death Watch commander, he was more powerful than ever, with his physical abilities increased to heights previously unimaginable, and gave him a command of the Force to rival many great Jedi and Sith.
But figuring out this mystery would have to wait, for the enemy had captured the still-unconscious Edaan and dozens of wounded and were taking them back to their shuttles. And at the rate Abeloth's thralls were suicidally throwing themselves at Kyp and the Alliance of Light's pursuers, it would be impossible to reach the prisoners in time to rescue them all unless something drastic was done.
Kyp, sensing Edaan's vibrant spirit trying to reawaken, realized that the enemy was using its new connection to the Force to keep their prized captive in a coma. Knowing what he had to do in trying to save the day, he contacted the Cal Omas's bridge, urging the command crew, "Send everyone you can spare to Hangar Eight and blunt the enemy's retreat! I'll do what I can to slow them down!"
Drawing upon his depleted but still-strong reserves of the Force, Kyp stopped holding back and unleashed a maelstrom of energy against the enemies, throwing them in every direction and ripping them apart. Taking a moment to observe the carnage he wrought, he realized the now-dead adversaries had red-colored crystals embedded underneath their skin. Sensing a terrible darkness and unfathomable power emanating from the miniature minerals, he made a note to have the scientists analyze them after the battle concluded.
Seeing members of the Jensaarai, Zeison Sha, Sun Guard, and Jedi regrouping and converging upon Kyp, he urged them, "Come on. We have a lot of ground to cover and prisoners to rescue."
Hurrying to reach the hangar, he reached out to Edaan, and screamed with all his remaining strength into the Jedi Knight's spirit, forcing him to awaken from his blackout. Once he and the rest of his fellows arrived at the hangar, he was heartened to see his longtime friend wreaking havoc on the enemy's lines.
It seemed all the One Sith's enhancements on the Palpatine heir were good for something after all. Seeing Edaan using both the Force and the lightsabers embedded into his mechanical components to hold his own against the Servants of Chaos, it emboldened Kyp and helped him realize they might yet have a chance to take a few prisoners after all.
But this battle was still far from over, and the Alliance of Light had to push the enemy off their flagship before they could catch their breath. Reactivating his lightsaber, Kyp led the team and the small influx of Galactic Alliance marines into the hangar, eager to complete the expulsion of this vile force. Working in tandem with Edaan and the prisoners, the remaining enemy commandos were swiftly overrun and overwhelmed, with none of them willing to be taken prisoner and leading to a massacre of Abeloth's faithful.
Seeing how all the commandos were destroyed, Kyp took a moment to assess the area, and after ensuring no one was around, he ordered his team, "Contact the bridge, and make sure we've swept the ship clean. Then we can tend to our wounded."
Turning to a slumping and weary Edaan, Kyp worriedly asked, "Are you okay, old friend?"
"Would you be okay after all I now remember I did while Krayt brainwashed me?" Edaan heartbrokenly rebutted, his eyes on the verge of shedding many tears.
"Did you forget who you're talking to, Edaan?" Kyp rhetorically asked, not willing to allow Edaan to suffer from self-loathing now. "You're not the only one who was manipulated and used by Sith." Placing a hand on Edaan's armored shoulder, he promised, "We'll talk more about this later, and we'll all help you work through this pain. For now, we have a battle to win and a region to protect."
Slowly nodding his head, Edaan chose to use his training and take all his pain to turn it into sheer resolve and determination to see the day won. Remembering how not to dwell on what was beyond his control and not let his fear and sorrow control him, he knew there would be time to mourn for the deaths he played a part in enacting later after Abeloth's forces were driven back. If Kyp Durron could rebound from the genocidal actions he committed while under Exar Kun's influence and redeem himself, then it should be a simply enough task for the Palpatine Jedi Knight to recover from the Sith-inflicted scars they wrought on him.
"In that case, what can I do to help?" Edaan strongly asked Kyp, just before the Cal Omas recoiled from many blasts impacting it from several different attack vectors.
Suddenly bursting into the scene, the hologram of Confederation admiral Traest Kre'fey appeared from Kyp's hologram, and the battered Bothan urged the Jedi Master through a flickering static, "I need – take a message to – Commanders right away, old friend. My – needs immediate support before our flank fully collapses! I have – my subordinates and their fleet elements going rogue and attacking our allies, and the enemy's bearing down on – with more ferocity than a pack of hungry nexu."
The holofeed stabilizing, Traest elaborated, "I can't reach them myself; the traitors are jamming me from contacting the bridge. Please… hurry."
"I'll go." Edaan offered Kyp, but the offer was cut off by another explosion wracked the Cal Omas from two of its nearby hangars, right as he could see several shuttles fleeing the carnage.
Sensing Belok Rhal and Gideon Hask aboard the escaping ships along with their captives, two men he loathed more than almost anyone, Edaan's blood boiled to go after them and make them pay for all their depravities and atrocities they committed for each of their masters. But knowing they held the upper hand and that countless lives hung in the balance, he put his desire for vengeance aside to put his duty first.
Kyp, wearily glancing at Edaan, graciously declined the offer, "I can relay word to the bridge, Edaan. I have a far more important task for you to carry out right now. We need to marshal our remaining forces and prepare for the enemy's advance, and we'll need to coordinate our forces with complete efficiency and focus. That's where you come in, old friend."
Seeing what Kyp was inferring from his idea, Edaan adamantly argued, "But I've never been able to master the art of Battle Meditation before, Master Durrron. I'd be of more use on the front lines, where-"
"Edaan," Kyp firmly and tiredly interjected, "Listen to me. You're not going to do this alone. You'll be working alongside the Aquilians, Master Saa, Jedi Tau, Ship, and dozens of others in rallying us all at this pivotal time. They'll guide you through with what needs to be done, and you'll perform marvelously. And you need to know that we all believe in you, and we have faith in you to accomplish this task."
"You can do this. You just need to have faith in yourself again, just like you have ever since I first met you." Kyp encouraged Edaan, flashing him one of his trademark cocky smiles before urging him on, "I'll have the Jade's Legacy, Rude Awakening, and Ship escort you to the Aquilians' lines. You'll all be joining together, and you'll do right by us and yourself. I know it."
"Get to the main hangar immediately. Be the rallying figure we need now and face your demons once again." Kyp urged him on while proudly smiling at the cyborg Jedi prodigy. "The Force and all your loved ones will be with you, so take strength from that simple knowledge."
Calming his turmoil by remembering all the bonds he forged, all the lives he saved, his deep knowledge and loyalty to the Jedi, and everything that was riding on this victory, Edaan exhaled his fears and breathed in his resolve. Offering a hand to Kyp to help him back on to his feet, he simply promised, "Okay. Thanks for the vote of confidence and words of wisdom. You've really grown from your troubled youth."
"Just as you and countless others after you will mature from your own traumas of this long war." Kyp maturely stated, with a hint of satisfaction and humor lacing his voice at the well-placed barb as Edaan finally departed for his new assignment.
Six Hours Later
Csilla Orbit
Aboard the Ballista-class Cruiser Bright Reaper
Within her private meditation chamber's garden, T'Ra Saa could feel her roots extend deeper within the soil, unwilling to move from her spot while the frantic struggle continued raging across the system. Extending her awareness through the rare and greatly coveted art of Battle Meditation, the Jedi Master could feel the life force of every individual that fell under her command, how they were desperately fighting to stay alive against the terrible evil that was bearing down upon them all.
Sensing every life that was snuffed out by Abeloth's forces, it tore at T'Ra's heart a little bit more. And after the betrayal by dozens of Bothan-crewed warships, breaking a hole in the Alliance's flanks and letting the Servants of Chaos fight through their lines and unleash several salvos on dozens of Csilla's major installations, it wrought only more ruin and desolation to the planet the Jedi and their allies were trying to protect. And the effort of guiding the Alliance of Light was taking an increasingly terrible toll on the centuries old Neti, her body running perilously close to giving out unless relief came soon.
It was only with the help of T'Ra's friends, disciples, and many unlikely allies that she had not collapsed from exhaustion already, with them replenishing her energies and empowering the Jedi and Sith-led forces to continue to hold strong against the enemy's onslaught. With only a few dozen hours of rest for both factions over the last seven days, it was astounding the Alliance's lines had not already collapsed. But with the pandemonium and carnage Abeloth's followers were wreaking, tearing apart much the Alliance of Light and One Sith's fleets, even as they were experiencing extreme casualties of their own. It was obvious both the former enemies could not last very long now.
For every single ship in this odd coalition that was destroyed, disabled, or captured, another two of the Bringer of Chaos's met the same terrible end, yet the enemy just kept swarming over them, and the Chiss were suffering terrible losses of their own, with at least three of their major cities destroyed or decimated and twelve times their number of military structures meeting a similar fate.
Even worse, no matter how hard anyone tried, no Force wielder was able to successfully probe into the minds of any of Abeloth's acolytes, which likely allowed the conclusion that they could not be affected by most conventional means. The Bringer of Chaos had clearly learnt from her past failings and was preparing to conduct a whole new kind of war.
And yet, T'Ra deeply suspected that this battle was more of a test for Abeloth and her forces than anything else. Having heard from Kyp Durron and the Cal Omas of the odd crystals that were embedded into the enemy's flesh and bone, and the uncoordinated formation of the multiple enemy fleets, it could be ascertained that the enemy was still consolidating its power. A useful lead to pursue, but it would be worthless if too many more lives were lost in the next couple of days.
Suddenly, a new multitude of presences were entering T'Ra's field of awareness, she attempted to reach into their hearts and minds to gauge their allegiance, but they were well-shielded. Opening her eyes, she contacted the Bright Reaper's commanding officer, and informed her old friend, "We have new arrivals about to enter the battle, High Admiral Gaia. But whether they are friend or foe remains to be determined since I cannot sense their intentions."
"Well, they're not the only arrivals about to intrude on this slaughter." Julius informed T'Ra. "Wyyrlok and Ship relayed word to all commands that Krayt's dispatched several reinforcements from his personal fleet to come to our aid, and they'll be here within the hour. If this is part of a trap, we'll be ready to give the Sith a decent thrashing while we still can."
"Do not fear on that part. I sense no deception from the Sith, this time at least." T'Ra assured Julius before she prepared to reenter her efforts to help the Alliance triumph in this battle.
But before she could resume her meditations, T'Ra felt Edaan's presence call out to her, with the human Jedi quickly describing, "Ship and the Sith believe they know who these new arrivals represent. They sense a familiar void from many of the vessels, a store of weapons that affect a person's connection to the Force, just like the ones Natasi Daala and her supporters were working on. And these individuals, I can sense a deep hatred directed at all things related to the Force coming from them."
That answer was the last T'Ra ever suspected, with the Knights of Olpaka and their newest admiral's notoriety and covert infiltration of the galaxy while trying to eradicate the Force from all life making them among the most dangerous to the free galaxy. With the Rogues' Gallery managing to track Admiral Daala and her newest allies from the Alliance-Imperial Conspiracy deep within a rarely explored corner of the Unknown Regions, it made no sense for them to risk themselves now, not with the entire galaxy arrayed against them for all their genocidal and terrorist acts?
Was the Olpakan Hegemony that desperate or eager to wage war against all their enemies, or, even crazier, did they see the larger evil surrounding them and were willing to lay their wicked oath aside for the greater good? As if Edaan could read T'Ra's mind, he tactfully suggested, "I'll send you the fleet's configuration, and we can alert all command ships so we can be ready if the Olpakans try to attack us. We can't exactly afford to turn away their help right now."
Seeing Edaan's point, T'Ra silently voiced her agreement before returning to her meditations, hoping this decision would not doom everyone at this pivotal moment.
Csilla System Outskirts
Aboard the Arquitens-class Command Cruiser Koros
Kor Rampart, vice admiral and commanding officer of the Third Fleet for the Olpakan Hegemony, could hardly believe he was arriving to relieve the Jedi and Sith of their current predicament. Under orders from Natasi Daala and Cylo-V to infiltrate the Alliance of Light and help them destroy the One Sith and Abeloth's forces, the middle-aged human deeply resented this task, even as he utilized his government's highly coveted mental techniques to block their minds from all but the strongest Force probes.
Witnessing the carnage unfolding before him, seeing how bloodied the Jedi-Sith coalition and Abeloth's throng of thralls were from their constant warring, it made Kor wish he could destroy all three armadas with one fell swoop and convince the Chiss to join the Olpakan Hegemony. After everything his scouts observed and learnt of on both the Jedi and Sith, how they had wrought destruction and death to the galaxy while demanding everything from their desperate and deceived subjects, nothing would please him more than to put the Force Users underneath his armored boot's heel. And seeing the two enemies join forces to try and withstand their nemesis's onslaught, it proved to him how hypocritical and alike they were, and how they would deserve everything the Knights of Olpaka would soon deliver onto them.
But since the Olpakan High Council gave his current mission the utmost priority, and knowing how Abeloth and the Rhandites were the far greater dangers to the galaxy, and the vice admiral always adhered to the chain of command, he would carry out this mission with all the fealty and ability he possessed.
Seeing his fifty warships, each of a different design and size, ranging from a corvette to a light destroyer, to maintain the illusion of this armada being a freelancing group, arrive and signal their full combat readiness, Kor ordered his bridge officers, "Relay our intentions to the Alliance of Light's command crews, and transmit them our established credentials before we enter the fray."
"Then have all our payloads ready to be unleashed on Abeloth's fleet." Kor concluded, viciously grinning at the impending carnage the rightful saviors of the galaxy would soon inflict on all its cruel overlords. Thanks to Cylo-V and his personal arsenal of anti-Force weapons, along with the cover story the rogue Imperial scientist concocted to protect the fleet from any major reprisals, this battle would be a perfect test for the eventual liberation of the entire galaxy and annihilation of all the Force Users' small empires.
Twelve Hours Later
Telona 17th, 59 ABY
Aboard the Annihilation
Well, this outcome was not what Kung'urama'nuruodo expected from the dozens of possibilities Abeloth's clairvoyance discerned. Seeing the One Sith and Knights of Olpaka rally to help defend one of their key adversaries, it surprised the Chiss sage and filled him with an unsettling anxiety where his withered heart still resided.
True, the defectors in the Jedi and Sith's ranks performed spectacularly well and undermined the foundations of their factions' alliances, and several cities on Csilla were struck hard by the strike teams before they were forced to withdraw, but the damage was far below the projected estimates. And while the mission to capture Edaan Palpatine failed, with a dozen of the Alliance of Light's best Force Users were taken and successfully held, which might assuage the worst of Abeloth's anger and give her a few satisfactory vessels, at least until she could find more worthy ones.
But these minor obstacles were not what troubled Kung'urama'nuruodo most. If such obstinate fools and pale imitations of the Bringer of Chaos were uniting with the Alliance of Light in opposing her, then there was still enough strength and courage left to challenge her impending rule. Put together with the Olapkans' weapons that were specifically designed to counter the strengths of Force Users, the handful of survivors from the Zonama Sekot task force reporting their failure in incapacitating the world, the failure to fully conquer the One Sith's Rakatan holdings, and the Jedi working to recruiting the insectoid Killiks to their cause, Tor realized how this war was far from guaranteed.
Realizing how remaining in the system would not gain anything else for the Servants of Chaos, Kung'urama'nuruodo ordered the fleets to pull back before scattering and regrouping at Exegol. Initiating a fighting retreat, the mixed fleet suffered few additional losses before all the remaining functional ships jumped to hyperspace.
Prepared to reach out to Abeloth and inform revived spirit of the results of this battle, Tor was surprised when he saw the shrouded image of the Celestial-creation form before not just him, but everyone aboard the vessel's bridge. Kneeling before his mistress, he humbly tried to begin, "My Lady, I have much to discuss with you, many fortunate and troubling matters have transpired, and –"
"I know, Kung'urama'nuruodo." Abeloth simply interjected. "The Jedi and Sith are prepared to wage a joint war on me, and our efforts have not produced all the results we desired. This conquest will be far more difficult to achieve than I originally foresaw."
Feeling her phantom tentacles touch Kung'urama'nuruodo's face, he remained quiet as she viciously added, "And it seems my disobedient son and daughter have found vessels for their remaining energies, and they are rallying the galaxy against us. Tau Palpatine and Darth Krayt will be our chief adversaries, and destroying them will be of the utmost importance, as will be recovering their prized dagger. And the Jedi are recruiting the Killiks to join their futile struggle, while the One Sith have dispatched envoys to Zonama Sekot, as you well know by now."
Daring to gaze at his master's spectral form, Kung'urama'nuruodo acknowledged, "Yes. This war will be far more costly than we ever foresaw." Pausing, he added, "But there is some good news to report. We have captured thirteen strong souls for you to use as possible vessels, and our ranks are swelling with defectors from your enemies. And your unwitting worshippers from across the galaxy will soon hear your summons and take up arms across the galaxy."
"Indeed, The Jedi and their followers you captured will serve me quite well, and my disciples will maintain an excellent distraction for the rest of our enemies." Abeloth wholeheartedly agreed. "We still have the advantage in this war, and our full strength is still not yet gathered. Meanwhile, all our greatest powerful enemies still have many obstacles to overcome before they can bear their full strength against us. And those delays will give us all the time we need to consolidate our gains and finish our preparations."
"Now, I have new instructions for you and our forces." Abeloth ordered Kung'urama'nuruodo. "Take only our most essential supporters and captives to Rhand. There, we will enact the next stage of our plan, and that will be where I will soon be of flesh and blood once again. The rest will serve us best in keeping our foes' attention away from our allies' fortress world until all is ready."
"There is still a great deal of power locked away in the last living remnant of the Rakatan Infinite Empire, artifacts and wisdom that could threaten all we seek to accomplish. We cannot afford to leave any stone unturned this time before my designs reach completion." Abeloth concluded her most capable and oldest servant, and as her nebulous form faded away, she menacingly warned Kung'urama'nuruodo, "Do not fail me, or you will never know no rest or peace for your fleeting existence."
Seeing and sensing Abeloth's omnipotent presence vanish from the shuttle's bridge, Kung'urama'nuruodo anxiously shivered at the untold implications of what would happen if he could not fulfill his mistress' decrees. Shaking the fear from his mind, he resolved to reach out to every battlefront commander and ensure everything going forward occurred as the Celestial offspring desired. His very life, along with probably his handler's, now depended on everyone's success, and he would not let anyone down.
Five Hours Later
Aboard the Mandator
The last four days were not how Wyyrlok expected the One Sith to expend its power in eradicating its enemies, but the Sith Lord was nothing if not loyal to Lord Krayt and the Grand Design. And he had to admit, seeing the Abeloth-loyal dupes be decimated by all their respective factions, all while ensuring the galaxy remained intact for its eventual subjugation by the Sith was a decent sabbatical for him after his many weeks of incapacitation and recovery.
Still, he wondered how the order would survive past this war at the rate they were suffering losses from death and defections. Having lost dozens of fleet elements and hundreds of great Sith Lords to Abeloth's bewitchment and the Jedi's naïve idealism, it left the remaining loyalists in a most precarious position. And that did not account for the deaths the One Sith suffered from the constant battles over the last four months, which left them far more depleted than was feasible to sustain a prolonged war for much longer.
It would be wise for Wyyrlok and his subordinates to discuss this with the Dread Lord after he made it out of the Rhandites' trap, especially since the One Sith's Rakatan allies and the worlds' guardians were under siege by more of Abeloth's sleeper agents. And with the Chiss safe from any more attacks for now, it was time for the Krayt-loyalists to make their exit and relieve General Yiv of his predicament.
Interrupting his ruminations, Lecersen respectfully intervened, "My Lord, we've just received a call from the Red Honeycomb Zone. It bears Lord Krayt's personal holofrequency. He has new orders for us, effective immediately."
Utterly relieved to have some good news at last, Wyyrlok ordered the renegade Imperial Moff, "The content of the message?"
"Lord Krayt has ordered us to retain ten of our warships in this system, while the rest return to the Rakatan Archipelago to defend our remaining holdings and allies." Lecersen intently stated. "He wishes us to negotiate with the Jedi and their allies in forming a formal coalition with them in combating Abeloth until he can rejoin our division." Gulping, he nervously added, "From there, we will work with the Jedi in securing our holdings, scouting and eventual destruction of Abeloth and emancipation of the Nihil Retreat, and capturing or eliminating Admiral Daala as an impediment to our combined efforts. These are to be our primary objectives that we can focus on for the duration of this… 'Last Alliance'."
A myriad of emotions pouring through Wyyrlok, he could hardly believe the orders Lord Krayt relayed to Lecersen. Joining with the Jedi in defeating this common enemy made complete sense to the Chagrian Sith, but it would not be an easy endeavor to accomplish. Between the bitter hatred consuming both groups and the untold number of sleeper agents ready to enact whatever acts of sabotage and mayhem Abeloth desired, the task ahead would require all of this supposed Last Alliance's skill, strength, and guile.
Obvious to all, these next few weeks and months would test every bit of Wyyrlok's patience and dedication to the Grand Design. Hopefully, he would be able to set a good example for the remaining Sith loyal to their Dread Lord while cooperating alongside their most hated enemies.
Deep Space
On Zonana Sekot
Northern Sea
Far Distance Islands
Inside the Magistrate's Palace
"Glad to see you could finally make it, Lord Vua." Invidious cordially greeted the final member of the One Sith delegation. Seeing the Yuuzhan Vong female who was with him, garbed in the traditional robes and bearing the eight-fingered hand of a Master Shaper, he smiled and humorously speculated, "Would I be correct in assuming that this striking woman who is accompanying you is your long-estranged betrothed?"
"I think you already know the answer to that, my Lord. And we have more important matters to discuss that do not involve my personal life." Vua stoically rebuked his superior, only being calmed by the firm and kind shoulder grip by Taleth Qua.
After five days of being reunited with his love, learning all he could of his people's degradation under the authority of Zonama Sekot, Darth Vua was surprised and disheartened at learning how far his people had adjusted to the subjugation and so-called rehabilitation. From losing many of their most prolific and vital weapons and equipment, to mingling between the castes, especially the Shamed Ones - now calling themselves the Extolled for their role in deposing the final Supreme Overlord and the original Yuuzhan Vong society, and the planet's long exile from the worlds they had rightfully conquered, it was both a testament to his people's resilience and a terrible blot on unyielding faith that kept them in this humiliating imprisonment.
Glaring at the planet's leadership, Vua recognized everyone from the reports the now-dead moles the One Sith had embedded in the Jedi Order and Taleth's information, and he grew wary amongst all these twenty enemies or Yuuzhan Vong that served as collaborators with these accursed enemies with the twenty-five, and the first four being the most dangerous in the Sith Slayer eyes:
Danni Quee, now the planet's Magister and the people's conduit with Sekot, the planet's living consciousness, and a previous Jedi and scientist who was a key figure in comprehending and undermining the Yuuzhan Vong's strengths from its biotechnology.
Elder Jabitha, Danni's predecessor and a woman who many young Yuuzhan Vong of all castes made pilgrimages to in seeking counsel and meeting with Sekot, whose experiences with Jedi reached as far back as the final decade of the Old Republic before its Sith-led dissolution.
High Priest Harrar, leader of the Priesthood for the Yuuzhan Vong and a leading diplomat amongst the castes and the rest of the planet's immigrant populations, who was also infamously known as the first true defector to the infidels' Galactic Alliance and key architect of his people's empire's destruction.
Nas Choka, the final Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong people before their defeat and shameful surrender, and leader of the Mercy Corps of the planet, a mixed-race force dedicated to keeping the peace between the varied factions and races across the planet.
The remaining twenty-one individuals, either representatives of the regions they oversee or ambassadors for their castes or races, Vua kept a still cautious eye on, but made it his effort to ascertain their corruptive influence on his people. If he hoped to convince his people to work with the One Sith and leave this prison world behind, he would have to learn all he could of this despicable incarceration and locate others who might still share his adherence to the true creed of the Yuuzhan Vong.
Suddenly, Vua's Force senses blared with alarm as the presence of what could only be described as a living god permeated the citadel, and he knew exactly who had just arrived. It was the same entity that stopped his attempts to destroy the last time he felt its mind, and it enraged him to the brink of bloodlust. Only through remembering his Sith teachings in discipline and the greater dangers to his people that he stayed his hand when Zonama Sekot fully materialized, taking the spectral form of Vergere, the Fosh Jedi-turned-Sith who completed Jedi Master A'Sharad Hett's long transformation into Darth Krayt.
Darth Snoke, seeing Vua's barely controlled fury at seeing two avowed enemies of the Yuuzhan Vong, quickly began the diplomatic meeting by addressing Sekot and his disciples, "Honored Sekot, on behalf of our master and the One Sith, we formally greet you and your chosen representatives."
Courteously nodding towards the human Sith, Sekot took a moment to appraise the four guests, staring for a moment at Ochi and Vua, both with a curious glance before speaking to them all, "I have heard very little about the greater galaxy until I was attacked. But I can see that much has changed in my self-imposed exile if the Sith have returned and are seeking me out. Perhaps you can answer many of my questions for me, and we can learn much of the other before we speak of alliances."
"I think we can do much better than that." Invidious generously proposed, scaring Ochi at realizing what he was prepared to disclose. If their plans were disclosed to Krayt or any of his loyal subjects, then all would be lost for the two conspirators and their ultimate goals. But the Sith, a brilliant man, even for an Arkanian, cleverly suggested, "My fellow Sith and I can tell you all about the dangers the galaxy faces, and how Jedi and Sith will need to cooperate to survive the tribulations now upon us. And I do believe you and your people will all be key factors in allowing this great coalition to come about and triumph."
Staring into Indivious's mind, everything laid bare before the living world's insurmountable power, Sekot's Vergere-form bobbed its head in agreement, "Very well. A fair offer."
Allowing Ochi to breath a sign of relief, even as he knew everything rode on the handling of these delicate negotiations. To save the galaxy from the threat of Abeloth and protect it from the remaining Dark Celestials and all the other supernatural threats that still lived from eons long past that will one day return, it was time for an ancient order long extinct to be resurrected, no matter what opposition came its way.
One way or another, it would soon be time for on old older, one that was dedicated to the principles of the Balance in the Force above one aspect of it, to return and guide the galaxy into a new golden age, and nothing would stop the revival of the precursor to the Jedi Order of old.
Well, I'd say that this is a good place to end the chapter! With plenty of action, suspense, and surprises in store throughout every aspect of this piece, it is one of the last of this story. With only five more chapters to write after this one, the stakes will keep escalating and the danger will only grow until the climax of story #6. And hopefully I can write a story that you all will enjoy, as I'm pouring all my efforts and love into it as an ultimate tribute to the Star Wars Expanded Universe! So, how are you all doing on this warm night of Thursday, July 27, 2023? I'm well, if a bit tired from work from three out of the last four days, but I still have two days to go before I get a day off, and tomorrow I pull a 9-hour shift before I can see my father again. And I've been reading Star Wars: Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade, and it's not my favorite work, but it's passable, especially for a "Canon" work. Afterwards, I'll finish my The History of the Hobbit and get to reading some books on the real world. Well, I guess I'd better give this chapter a brief examination before I publish it. I hope you all have a blessed night. May the Lord be with us all, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!