Good afternoon, everyone! Hope you are all ready for an action-packed and brutal chapter of my story, because I more than plan to deliver on this mammoth of a piece! How are you all doing on this hot day of Friday, May 24, 2024? I'm okay, if a bit forlorn after my move from North Carolina to Florida yesterday. Man, how things can change so quickly, it's astonishing as it is sobering. And I only have two days to write part of this chapter before I'll have to go west to help my grandparents for another three days or so. In other news, I finished my WWII book yesterday, and started Star Wars: The Living Force shortly afterwards, reading almost 1/4th of the book in under 24 hours. Man, I REALLY LOVE reading, let me tell you that basic truth. So, with all the small talk out of the way, I'd best get started on the chapter. May the Lord be with us all in these dark times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
Helona 10th, 59 ABY
Crakull System
Aboard the Rude Awakening
"We all know Keldo isn't going to fight honorably against Phasma." Snoke professionally reminded everyone. "If she somehow manages to win and kill him, the second the duel concludes, his crew will obliterate her, and then we'll face the Infernal Council's full might and be lucky to escape with any of our forces."
"It's out of our hands now, Ezra." Sabine reminded her fallen lover. "All we can do is make the most of this opportunity to recover and retaliate. And I think you underestimate your former compatriot. She's grown much stronger than you might remember."
Edaan, not willing to risk an argument breaking out amongst his command, quickly interceded, "Whether or not Phasma will triumph is irrelevant. Don't forget, Vua is still aboard and might be able to surprise us yet. And while we bicker amongst ourselves over our doubts and belief in our friends, the enemy plots Maker-knows-what and seeks to recruit the Croke and other old evils to their cause."
"The General's right." Soldier soundly stated. "The second the truce ends, we need to be ready to break Abeloth and the Rhandites' fleets and get our people to safety."
"And be prepared to provide cover to recover Phasma and Vua." Akku added, earning a Force nudge of acknowledgment from Edaan. "Saving their lives and vital skills aside, the information they acquire for us from the Fate Breaker via our tiny infiltrators is of the utmost importance."
"Then we'd best stop the constant conversation and work with our people to get ready for whatever comes next." Lecersen impatiently pressed, a proposal no one could argue with before the hologram shifted back to the Fate Breaker, where Keldo was finishing his preparations to try and destroy his sister. Seeing Phasma, her armor rent, body fatigued from whatever punishment the Rhandites inflicted on her and armed only with a single lightsaber and shoto blade compared to her brother, Edaan knew this battle was all but decided.
By observing Keldo's retainers finishing don his black armor, reminiscent of the Sith marauders of old and likely given several modern upgrades while keeping three lightsabers attached to his belt– just seeing those weapons unsettled every single Last Alliance Force User in the fleet, making them all realize they were somehow tainted by the Infernal Council, all experienced fighters recognized how the enemy wanted this fight to go. But they underestimated their foes in three regards. First, they let the wounded force pull back and allow their reinforcements time to discern the more vulnerable points in their blockade. Second, they left Darth Vua unaccounted for after Phasma's capture, meaning the Thud Bug bombs they both had deployed had gone undetected. Third, and most importantly, they underestimated Phasma and all who stood by her, allowing her to surprise everyone when she finally reached her lowest point. That factor alone might make all the difference in ensuring her survival.
Seeing Keldo rise from his bench, fully garbed in his custom Sith armor, igniting all three crimson red lightsabers as one with the Force and having them surround him in a perfect defense, Edaan made a silent prayer to the Maker that Phasma could yet find the inner strength she needed to win and survive the carnage that would soon resume. She'd have to be blessed with a miracle to prevail in this fight.
And even if Phasma did manage to outduel her brother and survive the frenzied mob that would come after her, let alone the countdown for the Fate Breaker's destruction, the same could not be said for the rest of the Last Alliance. Oh, sure, Edaan knew the brief ceasefire was a reprieve everyone could use to prepare for when hostilities resumed, but the advantages still belonged with the Infernal Council with their superior numbers, position, and power.
Even more ominous was if it was already too late to stop the Croke from joining the enemy. If just a handful of the ancient servants of evil swore their allegiance to the Infernal Council, or if they already made their choice to aid them, then the contingency Edaan devised would be most essential to preventing this possibility.
Reaching out through the Rude Awakening's subspace relay, Edaan keyed in his agents, typing in the message to all teams working under his direct command. Given how maddening the war was becoming, the surprises they were leaving for any would-be meddlers or Infernal agents would be crucial to keep the Croke Reach out of this terrible war.
And seeing the messages typed back, each reporting all their interdictors were deployed, Edaan hoped that enough of this mission could still be accomplished, or that no other dark surprises would be wrought before the day was over. Otherwise, there would be a terrible reckoning for the Last Alliance Triumvirs, and he might join them unless he held strong to his wife's counsel.
Nihil Retreat's Southern Border
Zonama Sekot Orbit
Aboard the Retribution
Darth Krayt had heard and learnt much of the galaxy's ancient and long-hidden secrets, both as a Jedi, and later when he joined the Dark Side as leader of the One Sith. He had journeyed to forgotten corners of the galaxy where few others would go in seeking forbidden knowledge, sought out individuals most beings would consider too dangerous to be utilized, and undertaken plans no other group would attempt to achieve his ends. But never, in all his long years as either A'Sharad Hett or the "Dragon of the One Sith", did he anticipate or foresee the treasonous confession laid before him by three of his most capable, dangerous, and intelligent disciples in Darth Invidious, Ochi of Bestoon, and General Yiv of the Nikardun Dynasty.
Instead of working to uphold the Grand Design the three traitors vowed to serve, they had all joined up with the Palpatine brothers and their select friends and contacts in reviving the Je'daii Order of old as a counterbalance against the founder of Bogan and all his acolytes and countless plots yet to be uncovered. Whether it was out of a genuine desire to prepare the galaxy to face this inevitable final showdown, disillusionment with Krayt's plots and campaigns, or a desire to improve their people's lot in life, they made their choice to betray him. And, whether in a moment of weakness or misplaced courage, they had just confessed all they knew to him and placed their lives in his hands, one last time.
Staying his hand, Krayt restrained the fury and disgust bubbling up inside to calmly acknowledge the three turncoats, "You must be very brave or certain in your choice to have told me of all this. Or very foolish, but I cannot decide which."
"A mix of both, most likely." Yiv reluctantly acknowledged. "But all we have told you, of Wyyrlok's schemes and our plans with Tau, they are all true. But what we need to know now is what you plan to do with this knowledge."
Eyes growing distant, Krayt slowly and softly admitted, "I would like to know that myself." Ignoring, or perhaps unaware of the baffled glances aimed at him, he started to elaborate, "For over thirty years, our order has been quietly building its strength, moving in the shadows to manipulate the galaxy towards fulfilling the Grand Design, and subverting or eliminating all who stood in our way, just as the Sith of old have done, and the Father of Shadows and his original disciples did at the dawn of time, all in the name of my desire to build a stable galaxy out of the ashes of chaos and wars that have left all scarred and afraid."
"But in my zeal to make my dream a reality, in listening to a Sith who only used others for her own arrogant ends, I fell right into the same pitfalls that doomed my predecessors." Krayt sadly acknowledged, his cybernetic eye glancing to see the baffled gleans in each of the deserters' faces at this bold admission. "Seeing the Sorcerers of Rhand, the offspring of the Bedlam Spirits, Rakata, and so many wicked races and orders uniting under one terrifying banner, it helped me see my pale imitation of the evil we now face."
As much as he wanted to deny this brutal truth, Krayt could no longer do so. It was made clear to him over the last few weeks that his Grand Design was nothing more than a dark fantasy, a delusion that darkness could bring a just and lasting order of out the terrible means it utilized, and only served the interests of those that cared nothing for his goals, only eternal entropy and enslavement. Even Eipha, the Celestial who fell to the Dark Side as the Son of Mortis before Anakin Skywalker killed him, he fell prey to this trap out of regret for Abeloth's original imprisonment and mourned all his misdeeds before pleading with his final student and spiritual heir to not take the same path as him. But still, he wouldn't have admitted this certainty to himself without the treachery underfoot within his own ranks, and now, in this terrifying cathedral, he had been given the means to start putting the galaxy and himself back right.
Closing his eyes, recognizing and acknowledging his sins, Darth Krayt let go of the dark regret and twisted sense of duty that blinded him for too long, and opened his eyes again, once more as A'Sharad Hett.
"My Lord… Your eyes." Invidious gasped, recognizing the shift in his former master and acknowledged, "Then you're a Jedi again."
"Not yet. For now, Darth Krayt can still serve a purpose within the Last Alliance." A'Sharad pointedly corrected. "Though, I will help you and the rest of your compatriots in rebuilding the Je'daii Order across the galaxy once our current war is won. And I will do all I can to curtail the influence and manipulations of Wyyrlok and all those that follow in his path."
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Ochi sputtered out, unsure if his hearing was going.
"You heard me, Ochi." A'Sharad genuinely chuckled, but without any ill intent, only amusement. "Once this war is over, I will help dismantle the One Sith and, Force willing, rejoin the Jedi to atone for my sins." Seeing the disbelief and incredulity across his three allies' faces, he sternly elaborated, "Let me be clear in this. You are not to mention this to anyone or not even speak to anyone on any vital matters without first getting my express approval. For this plan to work, we cannot allow anyone outside of us and a select few others to find out until we are ready to operate."
The first to regain his composure, Yiv agreed, "As you wish. But you realize that, once you unveil your plans to the One Sith, there will be a massacre, never mind convincing the galaxy of your intentions."
"Not if we move carefully and convince several key figures in our ranks to join us." A'Sharad contradicted, before adding as an afterthought, "But first, I think I'm going to need a contact lens to hide my now-brown eye." That remark helped break the tension and allowed the four warriors to start outlining their new plan.
But before they could make any headway, the three Force Users among the group felt a terrible shadow sweep over them, and they all recognized the putrid aura of their most fanatic deserter, even as enhanced as he was. And the glee he exuded only meant he was finally getting his wish in trying to kill his exhausted sister, which meant they had to try and help guide her to victory. The only question was how to do just that before A'Sharad had a memory jolt, courtesy of his old Jedi comrade in Quinlan Vos.
Croke Reach, Crakull System
Aboard the Fate Breaker
Block. Dodge. Try to land an attack. Resist the searing pain and doubt threatening to spread all over her body. That was all Phasma could do to survive against the overwhelming power Keldo now wielded against her. And if she didn't find a way to turn the battle around, it would quickly result in a massacre for her and all her friends.
Between the three hovering lightsabers and his greater command over the Force, now augmented by the Rhandites and Abeloth, Keldo now held every conceivable advantage against his sister, quickly backing Phasma into a metaphorical corner. Between him hurling near-endless storms of lightning at her and trying to break her will through attacking her mind, it was a miracle she had even survived the last fifteen minutes. Unable to get a single blow through his impenetrable defenses, she realized that to finally put her mad brother down, she would have to stop thinking like a Jedi or Sith, and like the resourceful scrapper she once was back on Parnassos. At this point, unconventional tactics were her only hope for victory.
Quickly scanning the room, both eyes analyzing every possible weapon or tool at her disposal, Phasma began to put together the crude outlines of her triumph. While her brother readied himself to change tactics, she beat him to it by using her strength to hurl several large shards of debris towards him, breaking his concentration and using his lightsabers to hack and slash the projectiles away. But what momentarily caught her off-guard was how easy it was to hurl the large chunks of metal, given how wearied her body was.
With no time to contemplate the occurrence, Phasma took advantage of Keldo's distraction to pull out the single dart on her being, the one weapon she managed to secrete on her and prevent the enemy from stealing off her person. Utilizing a highly strong dose of the infamous Synox poison that once nearly killed Darth Bane, she hoped it would be enough to end her brother's terror, provided she could get close enough to use it on him. But to bypass his defenses, she would have to confuse him, which was what she needed this brief diversion for.
All of Phasma's thoughts and actions taking place in under three seconds, she quickly began utilizing the rare Force power of Similfuturus, the ability to create a short-lived duplicate of herself to act independently and confuse Keldo. And she didn't stop at creating one copy of her being but managed to draw out enough power to create nine in total. Letting a brief smirk cross her face, she just knew this would infuriate and cloud her brother's judgment, for he could barely stand one of her over the years.
The ten Phasmas, ignoring the jeers and verbal attacks the crowd aimed at her, quickly got on the offensive, igniting each of their lightsabers and charging right at Keldo, who was just finishing up destroying the last attack. When he saw his attackers, he merely maniacally cackled before proclaiming, "Oh, happy day! It's not in every battle I get to destroy my sister ten times over!"
Breaking into a sprint, the ten Phasmas, quickly numbering just eight once Keldo hurled nyix-laced debris at the first two attackers, with the rest nimbly evading the blunt attack. Making a note of her enhanced speed, he could sense a subtle change in Phasma's connection to the Force, almost as if… Of course.
Those meddlesome Jedi and that so-called Dread Lord of the One Sith would never abandon one of their own when in trouble, even if it was against that individual's express wishes otherwise. And now, they were sending their strength to Phasma in the vain hope she could finish her superior brother off for them. Well, the Last Alliance would have to settle for just seeing her mangled corpse before he led the obliteration of the rest of their fleets and so many of their greatest champions.
Unable to tell which opponent was the real Phasma, Keldo was prepared to unleash a shockwave strong enough to destroy all the imitations, only to stop when one of his eight opponents decried him, "Coward! Can't win the fight with honor, even with your enhanced strength, so you'll act like a child and throw a temper tantrum?!"
That tone. It was just like that of Keldo and Phasma's parents, back during a more honest time on Parnassos, when they were still alive and training their children how to utilize the Force. And being reminded of those days, it infuriated the man more than he could acknowledge, so he silently vented by hurl a ball of condensed lightning at the closest opponent, knocking another apparition out of the fight.
"I see I'm getting under your skin again, aren't I?!" Phasma taunted. "You were always too sensitive to properly lead the Scyre, so I had to pick up the slack and lead from the front."
"Shut up!" Keldo hatefully grunted, using his lightsabers to skewer another Phasma phantom. 'Six left.'
"You can't accept it, can't you? That I was the better leader over you, and was able to forge a greater path than you could ever dream? What do you have to show for all your efforts and betrayals now, aside from ruin and death that you've inflicted on all your victims?"
"I have all the power I could ever dream of!" Keldo yelled, rushing to snap the neck of another Phasma duplicate. 'Five left.' "I've joined a cause that will-"
"Will turn on itself the moment it's possible." Two Phasmas interrupted, her lightsaber slashing through two of Keldo's lightsabers right through their crystals, creating a shockwave that he could barely shield from in time to prevent disintegration from the impact, instead just blowing him away, immediately knocking off a good chunk of his armor and bloodying his armored body.
"You've joined a cause that will only end in the destruction of itself or cover all of creation's worlds in the ultimate darkness." Phasma's voice echoed through Keldo's mind. "Unless you surrender now, brother, I can't save you from your personal perdition."
Spitting out a good bit of bile and blood, Keldo desperately looked around to try and find the last three Phasmas, only to find all three standing before him, one of them holding his final functional lightsaber.
"This is your final chance." Phasma pleaded. "Give up and seek salvation or die and face eternal damnation."
Pure rage blinding him, all reason leaving him, Keldo snarled out, "I'll kill you first, Jedi harlot!" Swiftly generating a lightning storm strong enough to overload a city's power grid, he was prepared to unleash it and destroy Phasma before he felt a small pinprick on his neck about the same sensation as receiving a needle, and sensing his sister appear right behind him.
"Then, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I started you down this path." Phasma mournfully apologized as Keldo staggered onto his knees, holding the spot on his neck where she injected the poison. Seeing him barely able to turn his head towards her, she explained, "It's Synox poison, a dose strong enough to kill a Rancor in five minutes. You'll be dead long before that much time passes. And I was never in front of you when you killed the last two of my duplicates."
It was a cheap trick, getting into Keldo's head and making him believe Phasma had approached him from behind. But she knew that a direct assault would fail, and that she needed to use more underhanded methods to win this fight. And seeing Keldo struggle for breath while collapsing face first onto the hard floor, she recognized what would happen next.
But rather than let her brother suffer in his final minutes, she would let him die with a shred of dignity while finishing her mission to destroy the Fate Breaker. It was the least she could do for her brother and meet death with at least one shred of the dignity he once possessed.
Sensing Vua flee the Fate Breaker aboard the Dark Beauty, and seeing the frenzied mob swarming towards her, Phasma knew what she had to do next. Mentally recounting the minutes left for the explosives, she activated her gauntlets' built-in comm signal and quickly keyed in the detonation sequence. Knowing the resultant explosion would not only destroy the Grysk warship but everything within a five-hundred-kilometer radius, she took solace in knowing that her final act would-
'Your 'final act' is nowhere near starting, Phasma.' A mechanical voice echoed in her head, a voice Phasma instantly recognized before Ship implored her, 'Prepare to jump high.'
Before she had the chance to make any kind of reply, the Fate Breaker began to violently lurch to the side from the first batch of explosives prematurely going off, and everyone began sliding down, many falling to their instant deaths from colliding into wreckage or each other. And Phasma, slowing her slide with clever maneuvering, felt Ship scream a warning into her mind, and jumped as high as she could, mere milliseconds before a smaller blast ripped a hole in the war vessel, allowing the sentient Sith construct to slip through and catch her in the hold before flying out the way it came.
'Darth Vua and General Palpatine give you their regards.' Ship simply answered while Phasma struggled to regain her bearings. 'Your compatriot would have commanded me personally, but he had to adjust the explosions so I could save you from your death wish and bring you back to Sekot to recover.'
Too tired to argue, Phasma simply nodded before her exhaustion quickly caught up with her, and she let sleep take her, fervently praying that the rest of the Last Alliance could escape this death trap before it closed in on them completely.
Five Minutes Later
Aboard the Rude Awakening
Honestly, Edaan felt dirty by having to rely on Ship to rescue Phasma, but knew it was a small sacrifice to stop a greater threat and blow a giant hole right in the Infernal Council's formation. Thanks to the Fate Breaker's detonation and the destruction consuming seven adjacent warships and devastating the Rhandite capital ship, the Last Alliance now had the opening required to extract their wounded and interdict the Crakull System. And by launching two baradium missiles from his personal vessel against a stubborn Tof warship to obliterate its bridge, the way to pull the battered out was finally fully accessible.
Sending a coded message to his forward agents, Edaan ordered them to begin powering up the gravity well generators, both of conventional means and Yuuzhan Vong Dovin Basal mines, meaning that everyone opposing the Infernal Council had to vacate the system before the hour expired. Hopefully, the enemy would be kept in disarray by the many surgical strikes the Last Alliance elite starfighter units were enacting, at least long enough to cover their full withdrawal. But knowing how the enemy still carried countless unseen tricks up their proverbial sleeves, it would be most wise to lead with prudence a good while longer.
"General, we have a problem!" Kyp's stressed voice came through the ship's intercom. "Sensors just picked up three heavy transports leaving Crakull's dark side, and they're teeming with hundreds of life forms on each ship."
'The Croke.' Edaan horrifically realized, understanding how the Infernal Council was about to outplay the Last Alliance yet again. Knowing there was no time to intercept the convoy, he quickly ordered all command ships, "All commands, those among your ships that can still fight, protect the wounded until they can escape, then we'll all make for free space. We'll link back up at our predetermined rendezvous point."
"That may prove more problematic than you presume, General." Shara urgently cut in from her post on the Rude Awakening. "Scanners are picking up tremendous energy readings about fifty thousand klicks away, equal to a Super Star Destroyer's reactor going critical."
'What now?' Edaan griped before he felt the familiar pulse of power belonging to a Force Wormhole, only far more malevolent and lethal than he ever generated. Someone was preparing to wipe out the Last Alliance fleets in one violent thrust, and judging by the buildup he was sensing, they only had just under half an hour before it swept over them all.
Surging past Edaan, two squadrons of StealthX fighters led by Kyp surged towards the damaged Rhandite warship. Before the Jedi Knight could issue any orders, his longtime friend reminded him, "Don't even think of following me, Edaan. You need to lead our forces back to base and help end this war. We'll be right behind you after we take out the source of this growing storm."
Sensing the insidious power emanating from the diadem-shaped vessel, Edaan knew he couldn't do anything to help without compromising the entire evacuation, and reluctantly swallowed his fear to instruct Kyp, "The second the storm subsides, get yourself and your teammates out of there. Maker and the Force be with you."
"Same to you, Edaan." Kyp solemnly responded back, the tone in his voice not encouraging Edaan at his prospects of survival. But just because he couldn't personally go with his old mentor and friend didn't mean he and his crew couldn't help the Jedi Master at all.
Contacting K'Kruhk and Kix, who were working in the command center to help coordinate the mass withdrawal, Edaan ordered them, "I need a favor from you two. Keep tabs on Master Durron's attack run and give him whatever tactical help you can." Not even bothering to hear their acknowledgment, he returned his focus to help cover the withdrawal of the original Last Alliance fleet and provided cover fire against any marauders.
It went on like this for another twenty minutes, down another fighter and the occasional corvette or frigate, and help several wounded allied vessels escape or scuttle their ship, all while keeping his eye on the Rhandite warship and the Force Storm forming at an alarming rate and Master Durron's attacks barely making a dent. Already, the dark-green mass of energy was beginning to move towards its prey, and there was still just over a third of the Last Alliance's ships not out of the system. Edaan knew he had to do something, but he knew he was running out of time and options. Short of joining the fray personally, there wasn't much more he could do to help.
Wait… That was it. If Edaan couldn't help on the front lines, he would just have to get a bit more creative. Calling K'Kruhk again, he instructed the Whiphid Jedi Master, "Master, I need you to help Akku pilot us out of here. I'm going to give Kyp and his teams a way to turn the Rhandite's attack against them."
"Edaan… Just be careful." K'Kruhk simply warned, obviously understanding what Edaan was about to try and wouldn't interfere. Grateful for the consent, the Jedi Knight gave the pilot's seat to Akku and withdrew to a nearby repair bay, where he'd get the privacy he'd need to help Kyp. Using his built-in supercomputer as a comlink, he rapidly constructed a message to the Last Alliance Force Users scattered throughout both fleets, outlining his instructions to them before sending the orders. Quickly receiving replies of acknowledgement, he sensed that the Force Storm was finally starting to move, and immediately opened himself up to the Force, ready to force the Rhandites to lose control over their own attack and be destroyed by it.
Momentarily reeling from the penumbra of darkness permeating across the system, Edaan shook the nausea off and formed a Meld with all the remaining Last Alliance Force Users across the system. Jedi, Sith, Aquilian Paladin, Blackguard, Order of Shasa, and so many other members of other orders, well over two hundred overall, all linked their minds together to counter the Rhandites' indiscriminate attack.
Guiding the incredible flow of power, merging their diverse approaches to the Force and applications of its blessings, into a singular attack, with Edaan himself at the tip of the spear, he thrust it right at the Rhandites' loci of power, breaking their hold over the Force Storm and disorienting them all. This distraction allowed Kyp and his teams to launch their shadow bombs against the warship and their escort craft, destroying the five ships and several wings of fighters that were too close to the doomed craft when the explosions took them also.
Allowing himself a moment of jubilation, Edaan's relief abated when he felt the Force Storm hadn't dissipated as he hoped it would but was instead starting to pick up speed and heading right towards Kyp's flight. But before he could issue any warnings or orders, K'Kruhk reached out to him, "We have to go, Edaan."
"But Master Durron and the others-!" Edaan tried as he exited the cabin and sensed just why K'Kruhk issued his last command: Kyp and the others, with even a few Sith and Aquilian Paladins joining them, were holding back the storm simply through their sheer willpower and were giving the everyone else time to evacuate.
Silently shaking, thanks to his inability to shed tears from his physical transformation, Edaan quickly sent Kyp and his fellow self-sacrificing Force Users what amounted to a "thank you" and "farewell" through the Force. Receiving grateful acknowledgements from each of them, he composed himself enough to order the final in-system Last Alliance detachment, "All ships, let's get back to our central base."
As the Rude Awakening, the last ship to flee the Crakull System, jumped to hyperspace, Edaan felt the blazing fire of Kyp Durron and the four dozen signatures of his wingmen blink out of existence. Even as he felt his longtime friend's death, the younger man felt the aging maverick ace attain a measure of contentment he never felt possible from him.
'Goodbye, Master Durron.' Edaan brokenly thought, a mere few minutes before the Rude Awakening received a sudden transmission from Tau. Seeing the mournful gaze over the clone's face, he must have sensed everything that transpired on the front lines.
As if on cue, Tau despairingly acknowledged, "We all felt Kyp's death. I'm so sorry, Edaan."
"It's not your fault." Edaan ardently tried to deny, but something in Tau's eyes betrayed a deeper sorrow and guilt. "What is it, Tau? What do you know?"
"Too much, but I can't tell you over any holocomm, I'm afraid." Tau alluded. "Krayt, Vurawn, and I are reaching out to High Command to schedule a meeting with everyone as soon as possible. Once we're all assembled, we'll tell you all our plans for the next phase of the war. It'll answer the black hole of questions you all hold for us on our questionable tactics we've used so far."
"But I'm afraid that's not the most immediate matter we have to contend with, brother." Tau continued. "You'll need to rendezvous at Olpakan Space for now until our forces can repel the brutal incursions across the Nihil Retreat's borders. Get your wounded and damaged ships to safety, then hold the line there until I order otherwise. You should be able to return before the next day ends, if our predictions pan out."
A slew of questions buffeting across his mind, Edaan immediately squashed them to comply, "All right. But whatever you have to say better be a karking good explanation for all those we've lost."
"You're not the only one that hopes for that expectation, Edaan." Tau bitterly agreed before the transmission cut out, leaving his brother to relay orders to the rest of the Last Alliance fleets.
One Hour Later
Nihil Retreat Western Border
Aboard the Cal Omas
"Remind me again, why did we journey right to the edge of the Nihil Retreat when we haven't the faintest clue on how to breach its defenses nor understanding of what lies beyond its borders?!" Kral rhetorically growled to Etahn's hologram while the Guardian-class Super Star Destroyer shook from the many suicide bombers hammering its shields. And his flagship was not the only one suffering from such intense attacks, with virtually every Last Alliance ship under fire from practically all manner of the Infernal Council's defenders, with dozens being destroyed every few minutes the slaughter continued.
The costly battle in the Corke Reach that just concluded, would be insignificant compared to losses the Last Alliance was enduring now, and there was no telling when this enemy onslaught would end.
"I couldn't tell you, even if I knew, could I, Vice Admiral Nevil?" The veteran Dornean general calmly countered, even if his face betrayed the same frustrations Kral felt. "But even I know that the Triumvirs wouldn't implement a plan as reckless as this without having a plan in place. All we have to do now is keep our people alive long enough to see it done."
'That's if surviving can be done at all now.' Kral bitterly mused. What surprised the Quarren veteran was not the Last Alliance's decision in probing the True Sith Empire's domain to prepare for the imminent invasion, but the sheer and overwhelming numbers they had sent to test the Infernal Council's strength and response. Scouting the territory made perfect sense, but what he would have done was implement a series of surgical strikes meant to mask the probing of vital choke points and strongholds the Rhandites held. But this brute force strategy was a disaster in the making, and he was not the only one who's discontent was growing. And this enemy incursion of dozens of Abeloth's diverse ships, the Rhandites many allies, and many gargantuan space predators ranging from the summa-verminoth, the Kindred of Ooradryl, and several Abominor, it was enough to make all but the bravest or insane fighters run home, screaming in terror the entire way back. The last twelve hours of continuous attacks helped drive that point home for anyone crazy enough to believe the free powers still held more advantages over the armies of darkness.
The GA vice admiral had served under many leaders of varying degrees of competence, strength, and moral fiber over his long career, but this decision just might have been the most foolhardy and wasteful of them all by people he never expected to have heard it from. Unless Tau, Krayt, and Vurawn's supposed master plan bore outstanding results soon, they might very well have to deal with a massive insurrection from within their own ranks in addition to fighting these servants of the ultimate and primordial evil.
But then, just as suddenly as the deadly reprisals began, the Infernal Council's forces slowed their attacks almost in complete synchronicity, confounding all in the Last Alliance with this sudden act of mercy. Wondering where the plot was underneath the false altruism, Kral, and everyone else aboard the Cal Omas's bridge, was stunned silent when the enemy began to withdraw into hyperspace under a minute later, them all taking several routes into the Nihil Retreat that the Jedi-Sith alliance had not yet uncovered.
Taking the initiative before any further surprises unfolded, Kral ordered his crew, "Have all our ships maintain Red Alert status until I directly say otherwise, and have all commands start search and rescue efforts immediately."
"At once, Sir." The Dac-manufactured Super Star Destroyer's commander obeyed, ignoring the implications of a GA fleet officer taking unilateral command over all the Last Alliance over such simple and commonsense orders.
Making all due haste to comply, the comms officer frantically worked to carry out Kral's orders when one of them reported to the vice admiral, "Sir, you have a priority message coming in now from the Striker. The Supreme Commander requests your audience when you have finished setting up rescue efforts."
Vurawn. Of all the times for the Chiss clone to call Kral now, right after such terrible and bloody losses the Last Alliance suffered, to explain the mad prophecies and half-baked gambits of the Jedi and Sith, he had to just pick now, when they hadn't even picked up the pieces of this disaster. Well, at least now he had a perfect opportunity to give voice to his disgust over the accursed war's despicable conduct.
Nodding to the comms officer, Kral informed him, "Tell Vurawn I acknowledge the message, and will speak with him before the next day ends. And be especially sure to inform him that I will have many questions for him and his fellow Triumvirs over the last few days' terrible series of events."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Sir. He said they're all prepared to personally address any grievances and doubts you and the rest of High Command should see fit to bring to their attention." The officer dutifully and sympathetically informed Kral. Well, whatever excuses they had devised to try and salvage the situation, they had best be karking good ones if they still wanted to keep this coalition together. But even then, they likely wouldn't be enough to keep many from going home and pretending this war never happened.
Still, the pragmatic and honor-bound military man in Kral Nevil knew his duty lie, and he would see it done, no matter the personal cost. He already lost his son in one madman's crusade, losing his own life wouldn't be too much of a stretch at this point if it meant helping to win one last war for the cause and ideals he had dedicated his life towards upholding, and the people he swore to defend.
Seventeen Hours Later
Helona 11th, 59 ABY
Within the Nihil Retreat
Rhand Orbit
Aboard the Dominance
Sequestering herself within her flagship, the Bringer of Chaos was diligently working alongside the Nihil Retreat's near-numberless vassals, Sorcerers, and their Lich Kings to prepare for the Last Alliance's final gasp of defiance. Recognizing that the Infernal Council's enemies would attempt to break through the unnaturally manipulated nebulae to 'save' the countless wretches that called it home, all the powers that comprised this wicked fellowship were ready to break their enemies over the next month or so.
Working directly with her Servants and those that paid homage to her, Abeloth collaborated with the True Sith and their Sorcerers in directing the future, canvasing the endless possibilities that arose from this escalating war and selecting the most promising for their own designs. But seeking clairvoyance was only a small piece of the Infernal Council's overall war doctrine.
Across the True Sith Empire and the few secret refuges it held across the galaxy, the followers of the Dark were amassing the deadliest armada and darkest army in all recorded history. But this threat did not merely come from its sheer numbers, or in terms of modernity, but in its brilliant, devoted, and treacherous commanders, the long-forgotten and esoteric abilities they wielded, and the greater power behind the Infernal Council's slow and deliberate subversion of the galaxy. Between Abeloth, the Lich Kings, and Mnggal-Mnggal, there was terrifying power enough for an entire dimension, currently confined into just the few hundred worlds of the Nihil Retreat.
And the final few pieces to ensure its ascension would soon fall into place. Not only would Tau and Krayt – Actually, A'Sharad Hett, if her powers of perception and connection to the Ligth Side via Luke were correct – be slain before the year ended, but the world of Zonama Sekot and its long-estranged kin of the Yuuzhan Vong would fall under the sway of Abeloth, and only her control. Oh, the Lich Kings, their brilliant councilor in Tor Valum, and Mnggal-Mnggal might have their own plans for the world and its great bounty, but she would have the last laugh if she had anything to say about it.
With the One Sith and Olpakan bioweapons, once modified and enhanced by the Servants of Chaos and True Sith Empire before being perfected by Mnggal-Mnggal to completely and virtually instantaneously bring the living world of Zonama Sekot under the terrifying triumvirate's complete and unending domination. And all that power and darkness would soon be Abeloth's to command.
She might have been blind and naïve once, but now, after eons of imprisonment, observing and studying the galaxy's inner mechanisms, and learning from her past errors in judgment, Abeloth was not blind to her own shortcomings, nor the deceitful nature of those that now aided her conquest. With the True Sith and their fanatical devotion to their so-called Immortal Gods, and Mnggal-Mnggal seeking to devour all life in its never-ending starvation, she would truly have lost all sanity to trust them beyond their predictable nature. And that didn't account for the lesser ambitions of the many races and clients that this alliance had gathered. Between the Rakata, the fifteen hundred Croke that were able to escape their region's interdiction, the Chiss Ascendancy's numerous disgruntled and disorganized enemies, and the One Sith's floundering deserters, there was enough turmoil and disunity in their ranks to keep everyone guessing on when the Last Alliance would try to divide them.
Speaking of Mnggal-Mnggal, Abeloth could sense that her sibling was growing increasingly impatient and hungry for new flesh, a giant weak link between the fractious alliance that she would have to exploit to destroy her foes before the war was won. The possibilities in dividing and pitting the Cancer God and the Rhandites against each other were nearly limitless, as was each plan's dangers. If she made just one wrong step, all her plots and dreams would be thrown with her into the pits of Chaos, just as her mother was before her.
Even with all these doubts, however, Abeloth was certain in the inevitable triumph of her mission, even as she silently acknowledged the brutal and pragmatic approach many on the Infernal Council would prefer against the Last Alliance. Among the dozens of emissaries that comprised its lower ranks, and several of the Lich Kings' most valued advisors, most of them desiring to simply wear their foes down through either attrition or through storming out of the Nihil Retreat and crushing them in one decisive battle. It was only through the wiser counsel of their elders or direct overlords that caution and prudence prevailed, a small relief for the Architects' final offspring.
But what those poor fools did not understand was how this war could not be won without using both proposed strategies to not only destroy the coalition but to crush the galaxy's dwindling flames of hope and defiance and convince the galaxy's weary mortals to accept the Beloved Queen of the Stars' rule without further resistance. That point was made abundantly clear after Abeloth absorbed Master Skywalker into her very being, and all his loved ones, disciples, and allies continued to fight the inevitable. Unfortunately for them, admirable as their loyalty and respect was for their longtime friend, teacher, or foe, both were nothing more than an enduring threat to her rule and had to be uprooted entirely like the infestation it was. So why, then, did she hesitate in working to further fray the fragility of the Last Alliance's forces and convince many to abandon their foolhardy defiance?
Oh, Abeloth was no rash fool. She realized how direct intervention or subversion would only push the Last Alliance's rival factions further together. They were well onto her typical methods and resources due to her traitorous children's heirs and her last escape, but there were other, more subtle ways to manipulate the galaxy to her advantage. For instance, if she were to continue eavesdropping in on a few key communications, like she had done on the Olpakans to learn of how Cylo-VI had all but perfected the vaccine for Mnggal-Mnggal's parasitical influence, then she would maintain a distinct advantage over them and stay ahead of their plans. And there were plenty of weary or opportunistic souls within the Jedi-Sith armies' ranks to desert with the right incentive, not to mention if she made a public broadcast as Luke Skywalker and revealed his death, that would send the galaxy into a panicked frenzy. As an old saying could be paraphrased, the only limit to one's plans is the scope of their imagination, and she had plenty of that.
The only reason she could conclude her hesitancy was the simple truth that the war would soon be over, and the Last Alliance, for all their meddling in her plans, had suffered severe casualties over the last few weeks, depleting their morale and leaving many to mourn their lost loved ones. Many of their lesser soldiers surely knew the futility of their cause, but blind obedience and a brittle sense of duty kept them from surrendering to their betters. And, whether it was the remnants of Skywalker's spirit entwined in her being or the shreds of empathy and motherly love she still possessed, she knew they deserved a little time to mourn and prepare themselves for the inevitability of their defeat.
Let Skywalker's family and the Jedi mourn the death of so many of their order's greatest champions, just as the galaxy soon would have countless relatives when all their brave parents, offspring, and so many others would fall. Give the Last Alliance a little time to grieve their losses and prepare for their final gambit, for when the end came, Abeloth would show them no mercy but a swift and clean death. It was the only gift she could give them before she claimed her birthright as the eternal ruler of all creation. And then, she would set her sights on those that would seek to use her for their own ends.
Nihil Retreat's Southern Border
Zonama Sekot Orbit
Aboard the Striker
The Last Alliance Triumvirs knew their plan would evoke every litany of negative emotions from its High Command, especially after the tremendous losses the recent campaigns and decisions had wrought. They were prepared to face an umbrage of hate and the threat of mutiny from their subordinates and would use all their fortitude and resolve towards weathering the storm and directing the anger where it could have the most benefit. In fact, the sense of betrayal was so deep, that among the seven dozen members in attendance, whether they were key military commanders, Force Users, or the leaders of more independent powers, virtually all were shouting and cursing out their disgraced leaders and silencing the few who tried to urge for calm amidst this pivotal juncture.
However, while Vurawn and Krayt had long since been ready for such an outcome from their many campaigns and their more numerous controversies, Tau was ill-ready to feel the disgust and loss of faith and trust virtually every Last Alliance member all but screamed at him through the Force. Tears threatening to break through the dam and his weakening composure, not only at the infighting but his regret over what he personally helped orchestrate, he was shaken out of his broken state when Edaan bellowed out, "ENOUGH!"
With his cyborg enhancements and the Force carrying his voice throughout the chamber, everyone winced and clutched their ears at the deafening roar, allowing the original Palpatine heir to say his piece, "Yes, we all mourn the death of Master Durron and all those who gave their lives to get us to this point. And yes, like you, I am appalled at how, apparently, this was all part of the Triumvirate's entire plan for the war. However, I am still unconvinced that there should be a change in leadership, as many of you are advocating for right now."
"How can you possibly believe that, Edaan, after learning how your brother betrayed our trust for a strategy he and his partners in crime have not seen fit to share with us?!" Han disgustingly spat out while glaring daggers at the three figures in question, especially Tau.
"Because they are about to tell us the full scope of their plan, and how these terrible events can be used to our advantage." Cylo-VI insightfully stated, before challenging the trio in question, "Or am I wrong?"
"No, you are correct, Doctor." Krayt confirmed. "There are many key factors most are unaware of, factors that would make a direct assault on the Nihil Retreat impossible without removing several defensive layers."
"The Star Forges." Edaan all but gasped, earning an approving nod from Vurawn. "You finally figured out how to destroy them, didn't you?"
"Correct. Though the Tulpaa Forge was crippled, and its remaining functional facilities have been removed to the Nihil Retreat, the Forge of the Gunninga Gap still remains fully operational. And destroying it completely is the only way to guarantee our invasion can possibly succeed." The Chiss clone began explaining. "But thanks to the facility's capability of manipulating matter and allowing the Rhandites to move nebulae however they see fit, any intruding force would be destroyed immediately upon entering."
"Then how do we even get close enough to knock out the station?" Nek, his previous anger abating, inquisitively asked with his trademark analytical and patient mind. "None of you would risk sharing this with us unless you knew the solution."
"We're going to take a page from General Eldo Davip and the Lusankya's final fate, aided by the Force and by utilizing a wormhole right in the heart of the Nihil Retreat." Krayt began to answer, before the Striker's holographic monitor shifted to the partially mapped-out territory of the True Sith Empire. "We know exactly where the Star Forge is, but there is still much of the enemy's domain that remains a mystery to us, so we can use the Megador to-"
"A moment, please." Turr tensely interjected. "You mean to say you had this strategy mapped out from the beginning, but still, you sent us all into these massacres when we could've gone straight for the enemy?! If that is true, then what was the point of sacrificing countless soldiers and all their material?!"
"To prevent the Infernal Council from uncovering this titanic gambit." Leia knowingly answered. "The Sorcerers of Rhand, their best members at least, can see portions of the future and manipulate the Force towards their desired endgame through what they call Darksight. Cronal, though most of you would know him as 'Lord Shadowspawn' or 'Blackhole', used that ability to devastating effect on Mindor before the New Republic defeated him. And it's a safe bet the rest of the Rhandites and Abeloth could use the ability to even greater effect."
"That's the basic gist of it." Tau appreciatively gestured to Leia. "As painful and disgusting as it was, we needed to deceive and distract the Rhandites and Abeloth from our endgame, and that meant keeping them busy with the terrible sacrifices we had to make. But there's one more piece to this strategy that we had to set in motion before we stormed the Nihil Retreat, and this might be the most important one of them all." Pausing to gather his mettle, he admitted, "We've been working to undermine the Infernal Council's tentative unity from the inside."
Vlad beat everyone else to the punch, slowly speaking, "Are you saying, Jedi Palpatine, that you've been working to turn the enemy's forces against each other through some desperate and harebrained scheme you've devised?"
"We all have." Krayt emphatically came to Tau's defense. "For obvious security concerns, we cannot divulge just who Tau and his cohorts have been working on. But if his plan works, it will give us the opportunity we need to divide the enemy and break their then-fractured lines."
Silence, contemplative and maddening silence, quickly covered the chamber before Kral pointedly asked, "How long do we have before we can strike the enemy right at their heart?"
"A few more weeks, at the absolute most, I'm afraid." Vurawn apologetically answered. "Which means we will likely need to keep probing the enemy's strengths and domain and countering their schemes while we prepare the Megador for its final voyage, and to ensure we get every bit of modern data and intelligence we can acquire on the Nihil Retreat and its unholy defenses. The few spacers who could penetrate its borders and Doctor Hextrophon aside, we need to know what changes have occurred within its worlds and determine what they may have missed or overlooked."
'That's assuming we can last a few more weeks at this current pace, never mind the imminent invasion.' Kral anxiously despaired, worried that when the Last Alliance would soon get to take the fight to Abeloth and her manipulators, it would be too weak to finish the fight.
Well, that's a wrap on the longest chapter I've written on this story! I can't believe it took me so long to write it, but I did have a lot to take care of over the last eight days. Between helping my parents unpack from our move, assisting my grandparents where needed, and a little bit of writer's block, I needed a bit more time to write this work. Plus, I needed a whole day to write the duel between Phasma and Keldo, which was quite a bold and large endeavor on my part. And the death of Kyp Durron was a difficult decision, which I know will create plenty of backlash, but I needed to raise the stakes and drive the point home that this war will be unlike any in the official Star Wars Expanded Universe. Oh, and Krayt finding his way back to the Light, that'll be a firestorm that could very well upend everything in the timeline. (Unless I already have a plan in place for that. Hint, hint.)
Thankfully, with this chapter now done, I can start on the penultimate Kesh interlude tomorrow or the next day, as that will likely be even longer than this chapter, given the Liberation of Kesh will conclude in this piece. And after I publish this chapter, I will only have 7 more chapters to write before I conclude this story. Man, I sure am excited to finish this story with such high stakes.
So, how are you all holding up on this hot day of Friday, May 31, 2024? I'm okay, if worried like heck for my grandmother due to health concerns, a bit depressed from my recent move, and incensed over the Hush Money Trial verdict of You-Know-Who. Man, I can't believe things have gotten to this point, and I know the enemies of freedom will only work harder to deprive Americans and other countries of their basic God-given rights and liberties. What we need now is to pray hard and do our part to safeguard and take back everything the Deep State has stolen from us. Sorry to bring politics into this author's note, I just needed to vent a bit before I go crazy from fear and anger. But I'm feeling better now. Well, with all that out of the way, I'd best get this chapter looked over and published before June arrives. May the Lord be with us all in these terrible times, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
