Good evening, everyone! How are you all doing and faring on this dark night of Tuesday, September 5, 2023? I'm well, if tired from work today and ready to go to bed soon. But I want to get some writing done soon, if only to rebuild my skills so I can resume writing at my previous capacity before I took my little hiatus. I hope you're ready with a riveting penultimate work in my rewrite saga because my story is going to have that in spades. With all I've written for my saga thus far, it'll be a great endeavor to bring it all to fruition. Meanwhile, I'm having difficulties with work, so I'll need a good distraction for at least a few weeks until things hopefully calm down.
Telona 30th, 59 ABY
Deep Space, Tempered Waste Sector
Unknown Regions
Hyperspace, On Route to Zonama Sekot
Aboard the Reek-class Assault Pinnace Rude Awakening
Reveling in the beautiful view of reverting from hyperspace, the wide array of lights and colors dancing before the two crew members of the Jedi-owned assault vessel redid the calculations their dangerous new allies in the One Sith had given the Last Alliance armada. If the coordinates their agents had provided the hundreds of warships and hundreds of thousands of fighters was accurate, their destination, the legendary and self-aware world of Zonama Sekot, was shrouding its journey through the abysmal Tempered Wastes of the Unknown Regions. Being part of the region that was once the heart of the Rakatan Infinite Empire and shrouded in darkness and mystery, it was no small wonder the planet had evaded rediscovery for so long after its disappearance from Chiss Space.
But there were far more immediate concerns for the Last Alliance and its countless members, those that demanded their full attention and constant vigilance. A mere two weeks after the desperate pact between the Jedi-backed Alliance of Light coalition and the diminished Sith order had been ratified by all the major galactic powers, tensions were still high between the many factions composing this final effort to protect all they cherished from the dual threats that were encroaching on the free galaxy.
The first danger belonged to the Olpakan Hegemony, a zealous territory within the Unknown Regions that had declared a crusade on the Force and all orders and governments that paid heed to it, vowing to eradicate it and deafen all those to its wondrous call. And now working alongside them was Natasi Daala, a war criminal and galactic despot who vehemently hated all things to do with the omniscient energy field and would commit any atrocity in pursuit of her sick goals. Combined with her legions of followers, the Hegemony's military in the Knights of Olpaka, and the mainstream society's fanatical drive, she would've had everything needed to regroup and eventually wage another war on the galaxy, provided one of her subordinates hadn't overplayed his hand and thrown his sector into a civil war.
Now holding a fleeting opportunity to divide and defeat this mysterious order before it could spread its hatred to other worlds, the Last Alliance was prepared to send insertion teams into the Olpakan Hegemony towards undermining its unstable foundations. By linking up and cooperating with more moderate and peaceful Olpakans and helping them defeat the more fanatical wing of their culture, it was hoping they would be stopped in a timely manner before a far more powerful and terrible evil could complete her preparations for a galactic apocalypse.
Having been reborn from the fifteen years of strife and war between the Jedi and Sith, fueled by constant fear and anguish of the galaxy's countless denizens, Abeloth, spawn of the Bedlam Spirit Tilotny, and aptly named the "Bringer of Chaos" by those who once opposed her, was amassing a power base the likes of which the galaxy had not seen in countless eons. And this time, she was determined to annihilate all who opposed her and rule over the rest in a deluded role as goddess of the galaxy. It was because of her that the Last Alliance was created, and if the Force willed it, this war would finally be her ultimate and last undoing.
Even so, the danger Abeloth represented paled in comparison to the immeasurable evil that finished her revival and now sought to use her madness to complete their own terrifying plans. Hidden within the virtually impenetrable nebulae of the Nihil Retreat and kept all but shielded from all prying eyes, an evil order worked to complete their dark creed and release a primordial evil from its ancient prison. And the Sorcerers of Rhand were well on their way towards achieving their terrible goals.
For millennia, the True Sith Empire – not the many orders born from the remnants of the Stygian Caldera Empire, but the original followers of the Dark Side – had been influencing and manipulating countless events to lead up to this gruesome time. And in the name of their so-called Immortal Gods, they were prepared to unleash a darkness upon the galaxy that it had not seen in countless millennia, dwarfing all wars and blights preceding it.
This, the impending apocalypse that would befall the galaxy unless the Rhandite Order and all its servants or dupes were eradicated, was why the Alliance of Light and One Sith had joined forces to stave off their three enemies. Both knew they did not have the strength to oppose them alone, but only together could they have a chance to save the galaxy they sought to govern. And as tenuous as this coalition was, everyone knew it was their only chance at survival.
But although the Last Alliance needed every fighter and leader it could, even though Edaan Palpatine, Jedi Knight, cornerstone of the Alliance of Light, and redeemer of his family's long Sith-tainted name, wished to be on the war's front lines, that was not yet meant to be. After being liberated from the One Sith's brutal manipulations and freed of his mental conditioning by his loved ones, the Jedi Council had decreed that he journey to Zonama Sekot to find a measure of solace and peace for his troubled soul before returning to the fray.
A difficult choice to swallow, but Edaan eventually saw the wisdom in the decision. With the scars of the One Sith's torture and their attempts to control him etched across his very body through their extensive cybernetic components, he needed time to reflect and nourish his weary soul before throwing himself into the fray again. And he had to admit, spending time with his crew and lovely wife would be a refreshing change of pace from journeying from one world to another in meeting crises head on.
Edaan, distantly hearing the familiar voice of his old friend and second-in-command of the Jedi-owned ship call out to him, was quickly jolted out of his thoughts as Akku Seii II, Mandalorian captain of Anzati lineage, loudly calling his name.
Nearly screaming while barely able to control his enhanced strength, Edaan couldn't restrain a gasp before turning to his longtime friend, verbally reprimanding him, "Kriff, Akku! Could you yell any louder?!"
"I tried being soft, but nothing I said would work on you." Akku lightly smirked. "You're just glad Adari wasn't here to scold you again."
Genuinely laughing at that one, Edaan felt his heart slightly lighten at the mere mention of his beloved wife. Adari Thayn Palpatine, a Keshiri who had walked both the paths of the Dark and Light Sides of the Force in her short and storied life, an anchor for his soul and pregnant mother of two blessings from the Supreme Maker, she was one of the few beings who understood him in every facet and loved him unconditionally. And it made him love her even more, especially after all they had endured in their year of fighting together, from Kesh, throughout the Outer Rim from Falleen to Dathomir and Korriban, and all the way into the Unknown Regions.
But just as the moment passed through Edaan, it was diminished as quickly when reminded of what he went through and inflicted upon his loved ones, when he killed Robonino, who died believing his friend and captain would free himself of the Sith's conditioning, and fatally wounded Jaden Korr, a well-served Jedi who had nothing but faith in him since the first time they first met fifteen years ago. Reminded of what he did to the Patrolian mercenary and human Jedi that each trusted him implicitly, it brought the shadow of shame back upon him.
Seeing the melancholy expression crossing Edaan's face, Akku consoled him, "It wasn't your fault, old friend. You weren't in control of yourself, and no one here blames you for what you were forced to do."
Pausing for a moment to consider his next words, Akku reminded Edaan, "Look at all you've done in your fifteen years as a Jedi. You reignited the fires of hope across the galaxy, saved countless lives and worlds from the Sith and their degradations, and restored the galaxy's trust in the Jedi when all seemed lost. You even managed to save Vestara Khai from her darkness and got her back together with her old cyar'ika when everyone doubted it could be done."
"If you could do all that after losing your family and channeling your pain into something worthwhile, then imagine what you can do if you can overcome this trauma." Akku placed a comforting hand on Edaan's shoulder. "If nothing else, you can take comfort in this, my friend. Last time, you had to gather the team together and help us all while bearing countless burdens. But now, you have a new family, and now they have the chance to help you face your inner demons and be free of your fears once and for all."
Genuinely smiling through the unshed tears, Edaan firmly returned Akku's grip before the two warriors received a communique from the ship's main hold. Seeing the comm signature, the cyborg Jedi sighed before apologizing, "Sorry to leave you hanging, but it's time for my next round of exercises."
Sympathetically nodding at Edaan's weariness, knowing how much he despised this necessary evaluation of his Sith-enhanced strength, Akku noted, "You'd better get going. I wouldn't want to keep your doctors waiting too long."
"Force only knows what they'd do if I delayed this examination." Edaan agreed, consoling himself by knowing that he'd follow up the medical assessment with a couple hours of heavy reading of a vital read all Last Alliance commanders had been assigned just after the coalition was formed.
With Abeloth and the Nihil Retreat set to wage a dark war unlike any the galaxy had seen in eons, and the only hopes the free powers held in stopping her were not only the one weapon capable of slaying the former, but in understanding the origins of both and the scope of their ambitions. And to fulfill the latter, they would need the last major testimony of the late historian Arhul Hextrophon. A daunting task to understand his final reading, with the man's esoteric journey to a part of space none in recorded history had traveled to and weaving countless legends and myths together into a coherent origin of the galaxy.
Arhul's last work was such a vital piece of intelligence that everyone aboard the ship, along with all the Last Alliance's leaders and their commanders were required to read its contents. Rather like a galactic book club, but with the fate of the galaxy depending on everyone's studious efforts. Ah, well, at least it was a refreshing change of pace for Edaan and gave him the excuse to read again while honing his faith in the Supreme Maker and all his noble creations. And it was a good bonding experience for him and his wife, so that was a nice bonus.
Rakatan Archipelago, Tulpaa System
Aboard the Star Fortress Adas
Literally slamming a control panel to get the weapons systems operational again, Darth Irola channeled all her repressed anger into firing several torpedoes and turbolaser shots into the enemy blockade, desperate to make even a dent into the Abeloth-loyal force strangling the One Sith fortress world. After the Bringer of Chaos's forces launched their attack on the last remnants of the Rakatan Infinite Empire, the Sith and their allies were forced on the defensive, not only through the enemy's ferocity but from large defections in their ranks, with tens of thousands of soldiers to hundreds of lethal Sith Lords flocking to the enemy's banner.
Losing many of their foundries of war and all but two of the Rakatan worlds falling to the onslaught, it was only through the determination of the One Sith's followers and the recent pact with many of their enemies that the region didn't entirely fall to Abeloth's might. Allying with the Jedi and the two civilized tribes of the Rakatan Archipelago, it was a surreal experience for Irola and her remaining command staff, almost too much for many of her followers to bear. But through wise counsel and careful threats, she had managed her remaining armies well enough to prevent any further desertions.
Still, there was a fair share of discontent with Lord Krayt's current strategy, and Irola couldn't deny that she was among those dissenters, but it wasn't for any lack of loyalty in her master. Instead, it was doubt in the Dread Lord's contingency plans in dispersing several of their most vital personnel and artifacts across their top-secret bolt holes in the known galaxy. While the former insurgent commander fully understood the value in leaving behind a few surprises for one's enemies if the original plan failed, this was hardly a time for holding anything back against the three inbound dangers the One Sith faced.
It was a point of agreement Irola held with General Yiv of the Nikardun remnant, and they both knew they had to convince Krayt in throwing everything into this alliance. If either the Knights of Olpaka, Abeloth, or the True Sith Empire won their war, then no one would be safe from their rampage, and all the backup plans and insurgent cells created throughout all of time couldn't save the One Sith afterwards. And after suffering tremendous losses across Chiss Space, the Nihil Retreat, and the Olpakans attacking their rearguard fronts, now was not the time for paranoia running rampant.
Right now, total unity throughout the Last Alliance was needed far more than mistrust and old wounds, an ironic concept for the former Rogue in Elscol Loro to consider, but a necessary one. And knowing she would work alongside former friends and enemies through her decades of fighting tyrannical powers before she joined the One Sith, she knew the next few months would test her devotion to the One Sith and their Grand Design like nothing she'd faced before. Still, it would be nice to fight alongside the leaders of the Rogues' Gallery again and reacquaint herself with old comrades and previous foes, at least until the threats were ended and it was back to business as usual.
But all the pragmatism and old nostalgia wouldn't be worth anything if help didn't arrive soon. If the Jedi and Rakata took much longer, then the exhausted defenders and their taxed technology would give out entirely and leave them open to a final attack. But if the reports her scouts and sensors delivered were accurate, then relief was inbound, and it would be just when the One Sith would need them most.
Already, several small teams were trickling in across the Rakatan Archipelago, conducting guerilla runs on the enemy's supply lines and relieving key Sith detachments from their dire predicaments. At the rate the Jedi and their allies were working to help their newfound allies, it would not be long before the war would enter a new phase, and the galaxy was irrevocably changed from whatever came next. Irola just hoped enough people would survive to enjoy the fruits of this united front.
Croke Reach, On the Borders of the Olpakan Hegemony
Aboard the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Errant Venture
Seeing the unnamed world virtually ripped asunder by the Olpakans' carnage, with this one showing island-sized craters devastating the surface and the seas boiling lava from weapons few souls could imagine, it only fueled everyone's desire to end the Olpakan Hegemony's civil war before any more innocent souls fell to this madness. And it only confounded the Star Destroyer's commander with the Last Alliance's orders to find and offer aid to the rebels fighting the mainstream anti-Force society's power base.
Throughout her long, storied, and sometimes feared career as a smuggler and daredevil, Mirax Terrik Horn had seen the best and worst the galaxy's many worlds held, helping those who valued freedom and creative thinking against countless evils that threatened the lives of the innocent, all while occasionally making a decent fortune along the way for her commercial enterprises. But far more important to her was the family she had created alongside her husband, Jedi Master Corran Horn, and their two children.
With the two Corellians helping save the galaxy, starting from the Empire's decline to the present day, many could say they had done their part in giving people hope and protecting all they held dear. But this fight was about more than noble concepts like justice and freedom, for they were after the woman that experimented on their daughter and left her for dead, all for the imagined crime of being blessed with being able to use the Force. Jysella Horn, a vibrant and compassionate Jedi Knight who sacrificed much for the Order and those she pledged to protect, had suffered a horrific fate at Natasi Daala's merciless hands in the warlord's mad fight against the Force itself that led to her tragic death.
Since learning of this unforgiveable atrocity, the Horns, including their surviving son, Jedi Knight Valin Horn, had long waited for the day they could lead the hunt in taking down the demented woman and avenge all the suffering she had inflicted on the galaxy. And when the Last Alliance made the Olpakan Hegemony one of its multiple targets for its repeated strikes against the galaxy and campaign of destruction across multiple worlds, they had put the Horns in a high place of leadership among the task force meant to finally bring Daala and her patrons to justice.
But now, after seeing three worlds all but destroyed by the Olpakans' strife, and the Last Alliance's scouts reporting another four worlds that were sporting similar scars, Mirax was quickly doubting whether any of the Hegemony's forces could be convinced to surrender. Still, even if there weren't many Olpakans willing to turn from their wicked path, that didn't mean there was nothing to gain from learning how the enemy had ruined these planets. With dozens of the coalition's analysts and surveyors working to rescue any possible survivors and piece together exactly how the destruction occurred, and Armand Vorn, Daala's own son and captain in the Imperial Army, coordinating these efforts, it wouldn't be much longer before they better understood the enemy's war doctrine and could exploit any possible weaknesses.
An officer's aide reporting to Mirax, the younger woman quickly informed her, "You have a comm message from the Lucky Striker. General Antilles is personally requesting a status update from you."
Wearily sighing, Mirax crisply acknowledged, "I'll take it in the comm room." She always hated to give Wedge dire and terrible news, but he needed to know just how greatly the internal conflict between Olpakans was escalating and prepare everyone for the probability of waging total war on the Hegemony.
Telona 31st, 59 ABY
Zonama Sekot
Southern Hemisphere
Far Distance Islands
At last getting a few hours to himself after the last three days of acquiring and practicing with a Sekot Flier, Ochi of Bestoon, One Sith agent and coconspirator of greater designs, simply enjoyed the tranquility of the oceans lying before him. Though he knew this peace was about to vanish once the planet he was on entered the dual wars and risked inciting pandemonium across the galaxy at the worst time, he knew that convincing Zonama Sekot to join this fight was the only sensible move. He only hoped that the decision didn't doom the cause he and a select few were now willing to undertake.
Being an extragalactic and sentient world with power few beings could scarcely dream of, Zonama Sekot could change the course of the galaxy and had already done so once in recent history when it helped defeat the Yuuzhan Vong and agreed to act as their custodian while in exile. But with such power and the entity's peaceful outlook on life, the world was quite hesitant of allying with dangerous radicals like the One Sith, no matter what accusations and information the dark order's representatives presented on the Jedi's fall from grace and the galaxy sliding into chaos. And the Yuuzhan Vong, having developed a religious reverence to the Jedi for their role in beginning the race's redemption after its genocidal invasion, they were ready to sacrifice the Sith to their pantheon of gods and goddesses when the delegation first arrived. Without the wise counsel of the planet's council of leaders, the sacrifice would undoubtably been performed and everyone would have suffered dearly.
To its credit, Sekot had proven an able negotiator and helped facilitate the upcoming talks between both mainstream religious factions of the Last Alliance, allowing for the Jedi and One Sith to cooperate and find common ground while preparing for war on the Olpakans, the True Sith Empire, and Bringer of Chaos. A pragmatic move, even if most thought the very idea a fool's bargain for even trying.
However, there were far more secret and practical reasons for this summit, ones far beyond the immediate concerns of Abeloth, the Rhandite Sith, and Natasi Daala's respective armies and dangers. Ochi and Darth Invidious, the two leaders of the Sith delegation and high-ranking proxies or emissaries for Darth Krayt, they were preparing the groundwork for the revival of the Je'daii Order and end the Jedi-Sith wars and schisms that had devastated the galaxy for over twenty-four millennia. But to rebuild the ancient order and bring the galaxy back into balance as the Tython System once was, it needed an abundance of candidates and recruits and an even wider array of perspectives from both sides of the Force, which this summit would provide in excess.
For Ochi, this desperate maneuver was far more personal than most knew and went beyond the interreligious feud between the Jedi and Sith and control over the galaxy. No, for him, it was a fight to save the soul of his people and show them a better way than worshipping Abeloth's late mother in her veiled guise as the center of his people's twisted faith. The Vahla, a race of nomadic and Dark Side-affiliated near-humans, they had unwittingly served Abeloth while helping the Sith in their wars on the Jedi, and they were all now hearing the Bringer of Chaos's call to war against the rest of the galaxy's denizens.
Along with dozens of other races and faiths across the galaxy, the Vahla were prepared to throw their lives away in service to a monstrosity that only viewed them all as expendable thralls to worship her. And Ochi, having been enlightened to the truth of Abeloth's origins through the last manuscript of Arhul Hextrophon's adventures, he could not let his people waste their lives and future away any longer.
'Your resolve is strong, assassin, and your dedication to your cause is commendable. But how do you think you will compare against an evil that's survived all the eons?' An ethereal voice intruded on Ochi's silent vow, making the Vahla sigh at Sekot's unwarranted arrival. Turning to see a Fosh female, one he recognized all too well from his briefings by Darth Krayt and his elite disciples as Vergere, a Force-Sensitive who, in her long and treacherous life, served the Jedi, Sith, and Yuuzhan Vong before not only playing a key role in stopping the latter's invasion, but also led to the corruption of two great Jedi over the decades and the rise of the deadliest Sith Lords.
Wondering why Sekot had chosen that vilified form to utilize in speaking with Ochi, he couldn't imagine. Perhaps it was a test to see if he could discern the riddles the planet often spoke in, or out of respect for the woman who sacrificed her own freedom to save the world and its population. Whatever the reasons, he humbly greeted the entity, "I know that none could stand up to Abeloth or her handlers individually. Not even you, Sekot, with all your power, could hope to stop her on your own. That is why everyone must come together now, before we lose this one opportunity to save all we hold dear."
"But I doubt you dared to confer with me simply to have me state the obvious." Ochi astutely guessed. "What is the real purpose of this meeting?"
"Perhaps I am merely interested in you and the contradictions you and your fellow Sith bear." Sekot suggested. "I am rarely able to interact with outsiders and learn more of the galaxy I call home, so maybe I am curious to learn how you and your Sith differ from those of ages past."
Letting out a rueful chuckle, Ochi assured Sekot, "I doubt we can enlighten you too much. Though the One Sith may have changed a great deal from previous orders, I cannot say we have surely learnt from the mistakes of our predecessors."
"And yet, here you are, Ochi of Bestoon, seeking to redeem your people from a fate worse than death, and usher in a new golden age for the galaxy after generations of service to the Sith. Perhaps you simply undervalue yourself." Sekot patiently countered before changing topics, "The Jedi and their friends are quickly approaching. But I believe they will encounter several difficulties in their final approach."
Bristling at the supposed accusations, Ochi swore, "Sekot, I promise you, the One Sith under Krrayt's command will not do anything to risk this alliance."
"I never said it was your brand of Sith, did I?" Sekot's Vergere form cracked a knowing smile. "I merely ask for a favor from you and some of your people to ensure this Last Alliance can survive long enough to ensure its purpose, along with your other scheme."
Ochi, feeling the heavy weight of this crushing burden, reverently bowed before Sekot, "What do you wish of me and those I command?"
Tulpaa Surface, Southern Hemisphere
Skal'nas City
Within the Temple of Ruthic
Throughout the mountain cities and its foundries spread out across the planet, that proliferated the enlightened Rakata remnant's civilization, an ancient race was preparing for war unlike any the Tulpaa tribe had engaged in in millennia.
Across the planet, its many facilities were churning out ancient weapons of war the galaxy had not seen since the fall of the Rakatan Infinite Empire. From dozens of warships modified to work with or without the Force, battle droids of designs inspired throughout all known history, to armaments that could put the Imperial Military buildup of Sidious's era to shame, the ancient fragment of a race of conquerors was prepared to live up to its old reputation. Only this time, it would be done in service of a greater good beyond a species' inflated ego or culture's insatiable bloodlust.
Nearly ready to unleash its industry of war against the Bringer of Chaos and True Sith Empire's forces that sought to dominate all the galaxy, along with the ancient branch of humanity that loathed all to do with the Force and its users, the Rakatan elders and their adjutants were convening one last time to ensure everything proceeded as they planned. With the Jedi and Sith, descendants in every way of the barbarities the Infinite Empire inflicted on the galaxy, preparing to cooperate with the free Rakata in stopping the Nihli Retreat and the Olpakan Hegemony, everyone was on edge to ensure that the redemption of the ancient race could begin, and their long exile could start winding to a close.
And to ensure the Rakata could survive the coming tribulations, they were prepared to offer the Last Alliance full access to all their old and failing artifacts and technologies beyond the Tulpaa tribe's ability to access. Surely, hidden away in old databanks, holocrons, and countless other treasures that had survived all the ages, there was something in there that could be of use to the greater galaxy in its righteous struggle.
Yet, there were those that held doubts about this desperate pact, which was the reason for this last meeting to ensure all were in accord in this pivotal time. Inside the Rakata's most hallowed grounds, the leading members of this tribe were heatedly discussing the merits and risks of joining with the Last Alliance, considering their recent acquisition of the insectoid race of Killiks for their knowledge of Abeloth and direct association with the Celestials.
Remembering well how the Killiks' terrifying ability to corrode the minds of anyone who stayed in contact with them for prolonged periods of time and absorbed them into their hive mind, never mind their eternal loyalty to their old masters, many Rakata were apprehensive of working alongside them. And those few that were adamantly against the idea of working alongside them, no matter what assurances the Last Alliance held on preventing the return of the Joiners, they were using this opportunity to plead their case with every bit of eloquence and skill they possessed.
"We cannot afford the risk! If the Killiks recruit even a handful of our number into their hives, then it could very well doom all our efforts!" Cah'let, a leader of the Rakatan priests, protested.
"Your argument is flawed in many areas, old friend." Tul'kar, a general in the planetary army, stated. "We're not engaged in anything sinister, and our projects were to be unveiled to the Last Alliance as a demonstration of our intentions. If we are to regain the Force and rebuild and redeem our civilization, we need to show how we have moved on from our terrible roots, and that means cooperating with our allies."
"As for the Killiks," Tul'kar continued, "The Jedi and Sith have assured us that they are refining a way to protect us from their pheromones and integration process. Through nanotechnology left behind to curtail their expansion, the galaxy will be well-prepared for the return of their hives."
"That's assuming this technology works to everyone's specifications and doesn't suffer from sabotage or mutations." Kota, a Selkath judge, pointed out. "Against enemies as versatile as those we're facing, we can't afford to leave anything to chance."
"You all have compelling points…" Adj'ast, the reigning Predor-Governor, leader of the Tulpaa Tribe, slowly conceded, catching everyone's attention. "But if this galaxy's history has taught us anything, it's that no plan survives contact with a battle. What willensure our survival is cooperation, unity, and innovation, just as it did for us when our old empire collapsed. And that means we must keep our doubts in check and remember exactly what it is that we are fighting for."
"The Last Alliance will be arriving in a matter of days, and we must be ready to throw our weight into the fight. Our homes and our very survival depend on our efforts succeeding." Adj'ast exhaled, taking a moment to regain his breath before he reminded everyone, "And we need to show our Makatak brethren a new way forward to rebuild before we all find themselves at a point of no return."
Everyone growing solemn at the mention of their rivals in the only other civilized tribe of the Rakatan Archipelago, they all agreed that the Makatak Tribe couldn't be allowed to expand beyond its borders before it moved past its barbaric roots. Having been engaged in a centuries-long cold war with the rival Rakata world, conducting raids to liberate slaves, conduct sabotage on their war machine and shipyards, and occasionally infiltrating and assassinating key enemy elders and generals to undermine their strength, it was a Force-ordained miracle the fighting hadn't yet erupted into full-scale conflict.
But with the arrival of all these outside elements, the balance of power between the Tulpaa and Makatak Tribes was about to utterly collapse, and the millennia of rivalries could be decided in a bloody manner. It was already swiftly coming undone when the One Sith came across this sector and took its war machine for itself, and now everyone was in danger of unleashing another ancient calamity on the galaxy.
The galaxy had to be ready to stem the tide of violence ready to burst out from the Rakatan Archipelago, and that meant coming clean with all its bloody past before the opportunity slipped away. And if that meant working alongside dangerous allies and revisiting old wounds for everyone, then that was the price to be paid. Besides, against an evil like Abeloth and her expanding armies, this could be the perfect opportunity to settle the two tribes' differences for good, hopefully for the greater good of all.
Well, I'd say this is a good place to end the chapter. I hope you all enjoy Part 1 of my Prologue, and ready yourselves for Part 2 in a few days. Afterwards, I'll probably take a break from writing to focus on a very special read I have. Anyway, how are you all doing this weekend? I'm well, if a bit tired from a blood drive I took part in this afternoon, and I plan to go to bed in a little while to rest up for church tomorrow. And in more exciting news, I'm going to be reading Joseph Bongiorno's annotated copy of Supernatural Encounters over the next couple weeks, which'll greatly help my lore-building and pave the way towards greater feats in my series. But I'll have to work all this coming week, so I'll be quite busy. So, I hope you're all having a blessed evening in these mad times and staying safe with the bad weather and all. I'd best go for now and focus on resting up. May the Lord be with us all in these dark days, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
