Good evening, everyone! How are you all holding up on this cool night of Monday, November 6, 2023? I'm okay, if a little anxious over a few personal life matters, and tired from having worked a lot at the bookstore today. I have tomorrow off, so that's fortunate. And I plan to read a bit of my Israel prime minister book tomorrow, as I need to get back to that riveting book. But I need to let you know that I'm going to make this chapter a very big one, so it might take a while longer to publish this one. And I'm joining the Knights of Columbus in two days, so it'll eat into my time a bit going forward. Well, with all that out of the way, I hope you all have a blessed night, as I'm going to get started on this chapter. May the Lord be with us all in these Dark Times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!

Nelona 9th, 59 ABY

Tulpaa, Skal'nas City

Temple of Ruthic

"Huh." That was the collective response from Tau, Ben, Allana, Tyria, Jaing, and Vestara after hearing Yiv's bold proposal barely an hour ago. During the repelling of the latest wave of Abeloth's raiders, the Nikardun Dynasty's leader came before them, accompanied by Adj'ast to help ease suspicions and understandable skepticism, and what he had to say astonished all and left them virtually speechless. According to the fugitive war leader, in exchange for rescinding some of the Chiss's sanctions on the Nikardun and a speedier integration into the main galaxy as active participants, he would offer the Alliance of Light all he knew and could safely uncover on the One Sith's plans his betrayal after Abeloth and the Olpakans were defeated, allowing the Jedi to counter his dormant scheme of galactic domination.

Most of the group doubted Yiv's sincerity and wondered if Krayt or one of his acolytes were plotting a new deception and asked for thirty minutes of relative privacy to consider his proposal. But Vestara, remembering from her time as Darth Kitai how the Nikardun leader had dedicated his life towards his people's restoration after his grandfather's defeat by Thrawn, she was not nearly as skeptical and was willing to consider the idea. Not to mention Adj'ast, who had passionately spoken before the four Jedi, and asked them to give the willing defector a chance to prove himself.

But it was Jaing and Tau who truly convinced everyone to take their decided current course of action. Believing wholeheartedly how a person's actions often served as a viewport into someone's soul, it was decided that Yiv would be given a chance to prove the sincerity of his promises. Since the Nikardun worked extensively with the One Sith in subjugating the Rakatan Archipelago for their war machine, it would only be appropriate if he helped the Last Alliance uncover the Makatak Tribe's true allegiances.

Should Tulpaa's fellow enlightened planet still be plotting to regain their lost dominion over the galaxy, cooperating with them would only prove disastrous to all. And given their sudden eagerness to work with the Last Alliance in oppose the Servants of Chaos after centuries in a cold war with their fellow enlightened brethren, many were understandably wary of such a sudden shift in strategy.

However, some were wise enough to see that with this risk came a rare opportunity to uncover the truth of this change of heart. If Yiv genuinely wanted to save his people and leave the One Sith and his warmongering ways behind, then what better way than to prove that by letting him reverse what he could of Krayt's schemes that he enabled?

Having reconvened with Yiv, Ben took the lead in warning the prospective defector, "Very well. We'll give you a chance to prove your sincerity in this. But, if this is a trap of any kind, then all bets are off, and you'll be treated just the same as any other enemy combatant."

Face softening in gratitude, Yiv earnestly vowed, "I swear, none of you will regret this. I'll do whatever it takes to validate the faith you've placed in me."

"Good." Tau agreed. "Then you can start helping us by determining the intentions of the Rakata tribe on Makatak. If they're planning any kind of deception against us, then we need to know about it before we commit to an alliance with them."

Immediately grasping the implications of what Tau was inferring, Yiv proposed, "I made a few friends inside their government that I trust enough to help us. I can covertly reach out to them and get a few insights from them on their superiors' plans."

"How well do you trust these contacts of yours?" Allana respectfully cautioned. "Could they be deceiving you into helping their people gain more power?"

Not at all offended by Allana's skepticism, Yiv elaborated, "I'm not going to explicitly state what we're after, Jedi Djo Solo. These are simply several well-connected middle-caste individuals in their power stratus that want to improve their people's lot."

"And many of these contacts have sympathies to Tulpaa's style of governance and desire a reform of their society." Adj'ast interjected. "Remember, just as Makatak has spies to try and undermine our security, we have our agents working to reconstruct their culture as well."

Tyria, seeing the truth in the Predor-Governor, relented, "All right. If Adj'ast trusts these contacts, then I'd be willing to give it a chance. But I have a couple conditions that are non-negotiable."

"Name them." Yiv courteously allowed.

"We do this reconnaissance effort together and combine all our efforts to ensure all conceivable angles of this endeavor are covered and we are not tricked by the Makatak Tribe. And Jaing and I work directly with you and Adj'ast in coordinating this effort. We have experience in this manner of clandestine schemes you're undertaking that will be extremely beneficial to your endeavor."

"Yes, both your experiences with the Null ARCs and Wraiths would be quite invaluable to such a plan." Yiv agreed, offering a hand to the Jedi Master. "Then, we have an accord?"

Accepting the handshake, Tyria firmly gripped Yiv's forearm in a warrior's greeting, and concurred, "We do. Now, let's get to work."

But before anyone could do anything, Tau collapsed without any explanation or warning. Allana, the closest to him, caught the Sith-created Iteration and vainly called out to him to try and wake him up. Probing his mind through the Force, everyone felt their efforts blocked by an unknown force, one older and much more powerful than any they had ever experienced before.

What was happening to their friend, and how could they help him overcome whatever he was enduring?

Nelona 10th, 59 ABY

Chiss Space, Csilla System

Aboard the Striker

"We understand, Captain Vorn." Vurawn assured Armand after hearing his impromptu briefing on the recent activities and maneuvers of Daala. "We'll be in touch with you and Commander Horn after we iron out the finer points of our emergency response force."

"Thank you." Armand gratefully acknowledged before signing off, leaving Vurawn and his advisors to consider how to respond to Natasi Daala's deranged retaliation strategy on the Olpakan Rebels and the rest of her enemies.

Having heard from the young Imperial captain of his mother's planned usage of resonance torpedoes and a variety of bioweapons to literally eradicate all her opposition, the Last Alliance leadership was understandably skeptical at first. Without being able to verify who sent the supposed intelligence package to Armand, they couldn't be sure if this wasn't part of an elaborate ruse for the Olpakans' benefit. But also knowing how depraved and desperate she could be when backed into a corner and recalling how she already destroyed the Red Twins System to cover her escape from the Jedi's pursuit, they realized how it would be suicidal to avoid considering all options. And that meant assembling the appropriate force to finally destroy Daala and her followers before they could enact their genocidal plans.

"How do we handle this?" Turr got right to the heart of the issue. "Do we trust this anonymous source and throw more of our people into this growing black hole?"

"I don't think we have a choice." Julius reminded the Confederation military leader. "Can we really afford to gamble with the fates of so many worlds at the mercy of a madwoman, WMDs or not? The better question to ask is who do we send to help our allies fight Daala?"

"Perhaps you, Mandalore Fett, and Commander Phennir should both go." Kyle suggested. "If Daala is prepared to destroy anything in her path, we'll need to hit her quickly before she can act. And your fleets are fully fueled and eager for battle."

"Those cannot be your only reasons, Kyle." Han doubtfully said before Kyle explained,

"If the Jedi go after Daala, it will be only seen as justification of her vendetta on all Force Users. But if Commander Phennir, High Admiral Gaia, and the Mandalorians go, then it will be seen more as a genuine military operation, and you'll have people who better understand how she thinks and can counter her strategies."

"And if the Olpakans see my people working alongside the Confederation and Mandalorians, witnessing a society utilize the Force in accordance with a government's will, then it will divide them by helping them see the galaxy beyond their narrowed lens." Julius added onto that train of thought, seeming to approve of the idea.

"It's a good start, but we'll need more than strength alone to capture or kill Daala." Han warned everyone. "You're going to need a more flexible and versatile approach to help act when your large fleets can't maneuver as easily."

Boba Fett, noting the determined glint in Han's eyes, answered, "You want to go after her yourself, don't you, Solo?"

"Not alone." Leia defended her husband. "Our work in raiding the Rakatan Archipelago is over, and it's been a long time coming that Daala finally faces justice for her crimes. And if you're going after her, Mandalore, then you'll need another ace in case she has a few surprises none of us may expect."

"So long as you don't get in any of my people's way." Boba allowed, surprising all with the consent. Turning to Vurawn, who was just as startled as everyone else, he asked, "When do we begin?"

Quickly composing himself, Vurawn questioned everyone, "Will twelve hours work?" Seeing nods and neutral shrugs from everyone, he agreed, "Twelve hours it is."

"For all our sakes, let's hope this mysterious informant's intel pans out." Turr griped, before suddenly suggesting, "But just in case it is accurate, we'd best forward this to Zonama Sekot and have the fleets there prepare for any possible reprisals."

Nelona 11th, 59 ABY

Rakatan Archipelago Outskirts

Aboard the Annihilation-class Warship Tython's Ashes

"Can you feel it, Tor?" One of Tor's ex-Sith subordinates breathed in the power he sensed across the regional battlefield. The Grysk sage, upon seeing the manic glean in Keldo's eyes and sensing his eagerness to go into battle, was relieved the Lich Kings had placed him in a command role for this operation. "The carnage, the darkness emanating from these worlds' denizens before us, it is just magnificent."

After hearing how Abeloth had recruited Mnggal-Mnggal and ferrying its core to the Nihil Retreat to work with the True Sith Empire, all while incapacitating a Last Alliance fleet, Tor could completely focus on his mission to eliminate one or both the Way of the Dark's greatest threats. Realizing that to kill Tau Palpatine and Darth Krayt, each empowered by a Celestial that embodied one aspect of the Force and surrounded by a galaxy's worth of defenders, the agent would need a much more practical strategy than simply employing brute force.

Such an assessment would especially be true since the Rakatan Archipelago was being taken back from Tor's patrons and allies, and Abeloth's fleets were suffering extensive casualties among the Rhandites and Bothans from the Last Alliance's hunting parties. Their losses had become so severe that the Beloved Queen of the Stars was forced to temporarily withhold many of her best weapons to replenish her ranks. And since he had been tasked with recruiting among the six Rakatan worlds that still adhered to their original doctrines to bolster the Rhandites' armies, the Grysk sage recognized this operation would be far more intricate than any of his previous missions.

Tor, knowing the Last Alliance would be on the lookout for any potential intruders, ordered his officers, "Have our fleet prepare our cloaking devices. Remind them to operate under complete radio silence until we reach our objectives."

Although Tor realized he was working under a tight timetable, he would find a way to make his plan work. Knowing how at least one of the tribes was willing to work with the Lich Kings in helping their people regain their lost Force-Sensitivity, and the five barbaric worlds were desperate to satiate their bloodlust, he hoped the distraction he'd soon enact would be sufficient for his elite teams to prepare for the assassination.

The biggest problem Tor foresaw in carrying out his strategy was not from the enemy, but from keeping his followers in line long enough to evade detection. With a fanatic of a Sith deserter in Keldo, who formerly called himself Darth Zorra when in Krayt's armies, a madman who, exceptional talents in the Force and combat notwithstanding, should have been kept off the front lines and remained in Abeloth's care as an alchemist, instructor, or host body.

Also worth considering would be Keldo's sister, another ex-Sith and a Jedi agent named Phasma who once held a powerful bond with him before tragedy and betrayal shattered it. But even the remnants of the connection could still exist, and if the Oblivion's crew was prematurely discovered, they would be destroyed before they could approach their objectives.

Somehow, Tor realized that Keldo would soon be expendable for everyone, and he would meet the end he deserved. But in the meantime, he had a mission to carry out, and sneaking into the enemy's den would require all his efforts. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why the insane Sith acolyte was so giddy about when he would be up against such dire odds and likely wouldn't get a chance to kill his sister.

But before the corvette could begin its approach, Tor felt an intimately familiar presence wash over him. Sensing one of the Lich Kings communicate to him through the Force, he and everyone aboard the vessel reverently kneel before the spectral image of their overlord.

'Rise, my loyal subjects. I only wish to speak with Tor Valum and Keldo at present time.' The decaying monarch decreed. Seeing everyone return to their duties, the veiled man first addressed Tor, "Are you prepared?"

"We are ready to begin our journey through the enemy's blockade." Tor dutifully reported. "The navigators estimate that it will take three or four days to make it to Tulpaa without being detected."

"Excellent. Three days is more than sufficient for my plans." The Lich King agreed. "And you, Keldo? What progress can you report on your task?"

Not hearing anything from the Parnassos native, Tor realized Keldo was privately conversing with the king, and fumed at the secrets he was keeping from him at this critical juncture. Seeing him nod his silent approval, the Grysk Force Sage could hardly believe the special treatment the Stygian-based Sith was given while he was left in the dark. How was he to complete his mission if he was withheld any form of relevant information? And what secrets were the two keeping from him that he was not allowed to know?

Sensing Tor's dissatisfaction, the old Rhandite patiently chided him, "Do not feel any resentment over this perceived slight, Tor. Keldo simply provided me with an intriguing idea on how to assist all your objectives out here while intimidating our enemies a little more. We're simply going to show the galaxy just how many of its so-called myths support our rule and make them doubt their capabilities a bit more."

If that was all it was, Tor would be content with that answer. But something in the Lich King's voice and mannerisms told him that there was more to the plan than he was letting on. And he hated being left in the dark by the rulers he had devoted eons to serving. Hopefully his fears turned out to be nothing, but his well-honed instincts told him that there was more going on than he currently grasped.

Tor would have to do some careful digging into this issue, because if the Lich Kings were scheming something untenable, then it would be his duty to intercede and guide them down the correct path. He had not spent all this time working in the shadows to see all the Father of Shadows' plans be ruined so utterly and easily.

Tulpaa System

Aboard the Retribution

"Report." Krayt sternly ordered 11-4D as the medical droid completed his patient's latest physical.

"All your vitals are at peak efficiency, and I can detect no foreign substances within your body." 11-4D began his debriefing. "Aside from the slight fatigue and damage from your previous engagement with the Rhandites, you are the perfect picture of health for everyone in your order."

"And the Coral Seeds?" Krayt warily asked. "Have there been any changes in their growth?" Remembering how he still suffered from the growths of the Yuuzhan Vong materials embedded in his flesh when he was their captive, how they were the primary cause of his many years in stasis, he knew that this war would push him to his limits as much as his followers. That was why he had run examinations on himself after every major battle, to ensure that he did not succumb to the growing plague and that his followers did not doubt him at this vital juncture. And after his strenuous battle against the Rhandite High Sorcerer Drear and his legions, his covert efforts were an especially wise course of action.

"None I can determine, Dread Lord. And I ran every conceivable test on your physiology before saying this." 11-4D answered. "Unfortunately, your chosen doctors have made very little progress on determining a way to free you from this predicament."

Processing the options in his electronic mind, 11-4D proposed, "Perhaps your contacts on Zonama Sekot can speak to some of their scientists and recruit a few to assist me."

"I have already instructed them to do so, and they have provided several promising candidates." Krayt answered before he began donning his armor again. Slowly putting back on every piece of his most iconic reminder of his time in the Yuuzhan Vong's captivity, he took a few deep breaths before instructing 11-4D, "See to it that I am not disturbed for the next six hours. I will be undertaking a healing meditation to accelerate my recovery."

Before the veteran Sith servant could utter a word of acknowledgment, Krayt's holocomm began vibrating. Irritated at the unwelcome interruption, he observed who was calling him before activating the device to reveal the concerned forms of two of his most-trusted servants and advisors, Darths Wyyrlok and Snoke.

"This had better be good." Krayt grumpily warned both his fellow Sith.

"It is not good news, I am ashamed to say, Lord Krayt." Snoke, the onetime Jedi Padawan worriedly conferred. "Sekot senses a dark shadow in the Force, one that is quickly spreading across the entire Unknown Regions and is growing in strength every day."

"That matches up with the reports I've received from our agents at the Nihil Retreat's borders." Wyyrlok agreed. "Several fliers have been edging their way towards our chokepoints, testing our strength, and gauging the Last Alliance's formations. And most of the pilots are immensely strong in the Dark Side, stronger than many of your acolytes."

'Then the Rhandites are much closer to enacting her plans than we all first feared.' Krayt forebodingly understood. Out loud, he asked, "Did you manage to get any readings from the probes?"

"Several, and they are leagues above anything our fighters can manage now." Wyyrlok stoically answered. "I've just sent them to 11-4D for you to review at your convenience."

11-4D, seeing the contemplative gaze in Krayt, took the initiative and advised Snoke, "If what you say is true, then you had best convince Sekot and its denizens to accelerate their preparations for war. We are going to need the Yuuzhan Vong's help in blunting Abeloth's upcoming onslaught."

If Snoke took offense at the medical/assassin droid giving recommendations to him, he certainly didn't show any anger. Instead, he professionally agreed, "I'll be meeting with the planet's leadership in the next two hours, and I'll make sure to drive the point home."

Krayt, getting a discretely concerned glance from Wyyrlok, mentally spoke to his right hand, 'My injuries are stable for now. Focus on your own tasks, my faithful servant.' Seeing a minute nod from the Chagrian cyborg, he spoke out loud, "The next time a scout from the enemy's domain emerges, do what you can to capture the pilot, or at least leave enough wreckage for us to study. We need to know all we can of her people's capabilities before we face them again."

"And the Jedi?" Wyyrlok warily asked. "Should they be informed of these developments?"

"They don't yet know?" Snoke curiously surmised. "Is that a wise decision, withholding this intelligence from them right now?"

"Our people caught the detection first and kept most of the specifics from the Alliance of Light." Wyyrlok cautiously elaborated. "I felt it best to inform you first before we made any hasty decisions."

Krayt, caught between a crossroad between his loyalty to the One Sith and his Grand Design over his pledge to destroy Abeloth, the Rhandite Sith, and the Knights of Olpaka, knew the choice he made could decide the fate of more than just his order. If he made the wrong decision, then he could lose everything he strove to gain in the aftermath of whatever path he took. And judging from the expecting look he received from Wyyrlok, it was clear he favored misguided secrecy and skullduggery over wise judiciousness and integrity.

But somehow, the Dragon of the Sith knew that any chance he had of salvaging the Grand Design was impossible in the short-term, especially with the depleting resources and followers his order was continually suffering. Remembering how the Bringer of Chaos was a threat to all life and the vow he made to finally expunge this evil from all creation, the decision he had to make was all too easy for him to make. If any of his disciples failed to realize these simple truths, then the One Sith would be better off without their blind devotion or harmful fanaticism. Hopefully, Wyyrlok would be able to see those basic facts before they reached the crucial point.

All this considered in a mere handful of seconds, Krayt firmly ordered Wyyrlok, "Give our rivals everything we possess on Abeloth's capabilities and then be sure to remind all our commanders to be entirely forthcoming with any new discoveries we make. Now is not the time for duplicity or machinations harmful to the Last Alliance. We will assess our position after the Olpakans are humbled, and the Rhandites' forces and allies are all obliterated."

"As you decree, my Lord." Wyyrlok loyally complied, though a miniscule hint of disapproval could be seen crossing his face before he banished whatever doubts he might hold, leaving Krayt to finish carrying out the rest of his edicts to his best followers. But he made a mental note to soon have a good sit-down with his right hand to ensure he sees all sides of the issue.

11-4D, intercepting a new transmission, alerted Krayt, "There is a new report coming in from the Tulpaa System. It appears our wayward Iteration had a mysterious seizure that induced several hallucinations into him while meeting with the planet's leaders. He recently awoke and is being debriefed by his compatriots. He has quite a story to tell, according to the first round of reports."

Concealing his surprise from the droid, Krayt somehow understood that Tau had experienced a series of visions from the Force. It was the only explanation that made sense, since he too had been suffering from increasing migraines over the last few weeks, and glimpses of unrecognizable locations and battles from ages past flashing before his eyes. But what could these memories mean? Was it possible that their shared ties to the Celestials were influencing them in ways they didn't yet understand?

Well, one way or another, Krayt needed to figure it out, and he doubted any of his followers could determine the meaning of these silent episodes. That meant he needed to find sources of information beyond his sole capabilities, and the most logical place to do that right now would be among the Rakata. And he might be able to use this opportunity to uncover whatever secrets the Tulpaa Tribe was forcing his emissaries to withhold from him.

Addressing 11-4D, Krayt ordered him, "Prepare my shuttle for departure within the hour. I have a new appointment to make with Predor-Governor Adj'ast and Tau Palpatine."

Hyperspace, On Route to the Twilight Void

Aboard the Millennium Falcon

"I'm getting some odd readings from the hyperdrive." Han warned Leia and C-3PO. "I guess the mechanics missed a few systems checks when they last fixed up the old girl."

"I don't believe so, General Solo." C-3PO contradicted. "I reviewed all repairs the technicians made before we debarked, and they were completely thorough in their work."'

Acting quickly before Han could fire off a quick-witted remark, Leia added from her copilot's seat, "I think Threepio's on to something. We've just lost the hyperspace beacons on seven Mandalorian ships."

"They were pulled out of hyperspace?" Han realized, before he started the process of reverting his ship to realspace. If the Last Alliance was running into a trap, it would be best to halt and regroup before endangering the rest of the task force.

"I've triangulated their last known position and I'm working to reestablish a comm channel with them now." Leia added before the hologram of Allana appeared, surprising both at the unforeseen surprise and how she appeared extremely frantic right now.

"Thank the Force, I got to you in time." Allana gratefully breathed in panicked relief. "I was worried that Abeloth or Daala would get to you by now."

"Allana? How did- When did you-?" Han sputtered out, but Leia maintained a more composed demeanor, knowing how her granddaughter wouldn't be disrupting such a vital mission without good reason.

"Allana, what happened?" Leia firmly and coherently asked before seeing the haunted glean in her eyes, a look she recognized before from past episodes. "Did you have another vision?"

"No, but Tau had several. He saw many things in his Force-induced seizure, and none of them were pleasant." Allaan clarified, struggling to hold back unshed tears. "Among other things, he saw both of you die in a battle in space and Uncle Luke being destroyed by Abeloth."

Seeing nothing but pure horror and genuine fear in their granddaughter's terrified face, Leia grasped that she was telling the truth, or at least what she believed to be true. Treading carefully, she delicately asked Allana, "Why don't you start from the beginning, and we can figure this out step by step?"

"But Mistress Leia, the Olpakans-" Threepio tried before the Millennium Falcon's deep-space alarms began to go off, interrupting his attempted warnings.

Seeing the Olpakan fleet blaze out in front of the smaller Last Alliance force, outnumbering their Force-allied adversaries two-to-one, Leia began to fear that Tau's purported visions were the genuine warnings. A mere handful of moments later, Allana's hologram began to flicker out before quickly vanishing altogether.

Han, ever the stubborn fighter in refusing to give up, reminded Leia, "Well, Allana knows we're under attack, and she'll get word out to everyone else. 'Till then, we'll all have to try to find a way out of this mess ourselves."

"But General Solo-" Threepio tried before the Falcon violently shook from the incoming laser fire, and this impromptu battle began in earnest with no time left for unnecessary talking.

Zonama Sekot

Far Distance Islands

Magister's Palace

"I take it you've been keeping busy whilst we've all been here?" Edaan nonchalantly asked his crew members and the Wraiths while waiting for their hosts and the One Sith delegation to arrive.

"Busier than you, it seems." Trey Courser, a Wraith and poor jokster, teased. "All you've done while we've been here is get a nice furlough while talking with this planet's leaders and enjoying the sights."

Ignoring the terrible jokes, everyone began comparing notes on their progress into their project for Edaan. Having been compiling data and gathering people for the covert task of creating a new body for him, it was becoming that much less of a daunting task the longer they stayed here. Already, preliminary efforts were underway with tissue samples donated to clone healthy organs for anyone wounded, and the Yuuzhan Vong Shapers were proving exceptionally helpful in this endeavor. And the Sith, at least those that were sympathetic to the Jedi Knight's plight, were preparing to procure the equipment necessary to transfer Edaan's consciousness into the culmination of their many future scientific marvels.

But until that day came, the Last Alliance was busy with far more immediate matters demanding most people's attention. And given the warnings its commanders delivered two days earlier about Daala prepared to utilize the atrocious bioweapons Alpha Red to try and destroy Zonama Sekot and its Yuuzhan Vong population, this region would soon become exponentially more popular. Never mind the Rhandites' armies growing every day and the Olpakan Civil War threatening to surge past its borders, the galaxy was truly at the precipice of annihilation.

Very soon, Zonama Sekot would have to move again and fully enter the war and hope for the best, just as everyone else was doing right now. Already, Sekot fliers were being grown to help guard this living world, and the Yuuzhan Vong were preparing to reenter the war with limited numbers of their original warcraft. With so many Bothans hellbent on seeing their vow of ar'krai through to its bitter end and the bitter hatred many more beings held for the extragalactic race, everyone was worried of the repercussions of letting their enemies rearm. But vividly remembering Abeloth's madness and what she was capable of, never mind far more ancient evils returning, most recognized the bitter necessity of gathering all manner of allies and would deal with the Vong when that possibly aneurysm arose.

Sensing the One Sith and the omnipotent presence of Sekot and its few Force-sensitive ambassadors fast approaching, all discussions were halted, and everyone respectfully greeted the last arrivals before the true meeting could begin in earnest.

Sekot, communicating to everyone through Danni, warned the crowd, "I have recently been given a most terrible glimpse of the future. In this vision, I saw the annihilation of countless worlds and the True Sith Empire's evils sweeping across all creation. And it all starts with at the Rakata's final refuges and involves Natasi Daala's madness."

"We need to prepare for our journey to the Rakatan Archipelago by the end of the day. It will be there that our forays into these wars will begin." Sekot finished before vacating Danni's body to make its readiness for the first of many jumps to hyperspace.

Edaan, his hopes of acquiring a new body pushed aside to focus his thoughts on the return to war, hurried over to Harrar and Invidious, with Adari coming up behind him. Speaking to the Yuuzhan Vong high priest, he asked, "Are your people ready for a return to war?"

Patiently smiling at Edaan, Harrar knowingly corrected, "Do you mean to say if we will not revert to our obsession with war and risk everything we've gained?"

"Abeloth and her masters attacked us first and endangered all creation. We will fight to defend our homes and help the Jeedai that saved us at our lowest point. As for if we will fall back to our old habits, I cannot say. Just as I cannot say if you will remain true to yourself in this alliance with the One Sith after all they inflicted on you." Harrar calmly pointed out, earning a nod of acknowledgement from Edaan.

"Then we'll just have to be prepared for anything and hope for the best." Adari wisely surmised before she asked Invidious, "What about matters on your end? Will your people uphold your end of our deal?"

"We'll do everything we can to help." Invidious promised, before softly whispering, "But I'll see about ferrying in the necessary equipment for Edaan's procedure well before everything's all prepared."

"Let's try to save that endeavor for when we get a bit closer to winning at least one of these ongoing wars." Edaan patiently waved off before the discussions became less conspiratorial in nature, and more individuals joined in to prepare for their return into the fires of war. He quickly uncovered how his wife and the scientists on loan to them were continuing the work to gift him with a cloned body, and he appreciated the gesture, even if it was unwanted by him at this time.

Edaan recognized how the project the Shapers and Wraiths were working on would have many useful applications beyond giving him a new body, and he held no ill will for everyone going against his wishes. He knew they only wanted what was best for him and the war effort, and though he might not agree with every decision made, he recognized that the coming battles would require everyone to surpass their limits and attain a new plateau of power acquired by few others. And having promised to support Tau in any feasible capacity, he would need to fight and train harder than ever before when he rejoined the conflagrations consuming the Chaos. He only hoped that when all was said and done, he would be able to protect those which were the most precious to him.

Well, I'd say this chapter is complete. And it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, especially since I could trim a bit off in the story in a couple ways. So, I hope you all are enjoying my work, as I'm over a third of the way done with it and not losing any steam yet. And I'm working to streamline my story, mainly so my overabundance of plot and characters doesn't overwhelm a lot fewer readers, so I hope it is showing progress. In other news, how are you all faring on this warm afternoon of Thursday, November 9, 2023? I'm well, as I got inducted into the Knights of Columbus last night, and it was quite a special occurrence. I look forward to doing more good by getting more involved with the Church and deepening my faith in Christ. And I have a few days off from work, so that'll be good to rest and do other things. Well, I guess that's all I need to say for tonight. I hope you all stay safe in these mad times, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as I'll be publishing it in a little while after I review it. May the Lord be with us all in these dark days, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!