Coruscant
Within the Galactic Alliance Navy Command Complex
Inside Chief Loran's Office
"You've got your people quietly trailing Yimmon? They haven't been discovered yet?" Garik confirmed to Wedge Antilles, war hero and commander of countless pilots throughout his decades of service to freedom.
Nodding to the friend who convinced him and his wife, Iella Wessiri Antilles, to come out of their third retirement, the founder of both Rogue and Wraith Squadrons confirmed, "No, not that I doubt it'll make much of a difference with the Jedi aboard his ship. He's been so focused on quelling the fires of anarchy while hiding from any leftover Maladians that he hasn't discovered our agents."
"Besides, I'm sure he'll be grateful to have our protection after the horror he just experienced." Wedge reminded the active general.
"True." Garik tightly smiled, eager for retribution against the Maladi System, all their karking assassins and their Sith patrons for leading a terrorist attack on the leaders of the Galactic Alliance. And he knew the surviving leaders of the wounded government, legislative or military, would not let this atrocity stand without the appropriate form of retribution.
For good or ill, these riots would soon end, for Coruscant would quickly be secured for its law-abiding citizenry, and those that continued their destructive rampages would be punished accordingly. While almost all the rioters ceased their work as unwitting pawns for the One Sith and surrendered to the onsite security forces, there were around seventy-five thousand terrorists still destroying everything in their rage-induced path.
If they did not cease their rebellion by the end of the time limit Kajin would set in his final broadcast, then the Joint Chiefs authorized lethal force to be used against the unwitting rebels. They had been given more than enough time to realize their mistakes, and the galaxy's mercy was all but exhausted against its fools. Even an idealist such as Kajin recognized this and gave the military the latitude it needed to solve this problem with good old-fashioned force.
And speaking of broadcasts, the Chief of State's hologram appeared, and he appeared more somber than Garik had ever seen the Cerean look.
Kajin began this broadcast with the truth: "If you have been keeping tabs on recent events, then you saw the explosion that consumed the Senate Building. For what little consolation it is worth, I survived the blast, thanks to my stalwart defenders spiriting me away before the attackers triggered their contingency."
"Allow me to clear up any confusion you might have. These so-called Mandalorian isolationists were in fact, Maladian assassins, hired by former Senator Jenna Sauro and her One Sith masters in a bid to assassinate me and throw the Galactic Alliance into disarray."
"I only survived thanks to the selfless efforts of my Chief of Staff, Sorsa Tiin, who risked everything to deliver the necessary intelligence to circumvent their attack. But my most trusted friend, just like almost every poor soul in and outside the building, has likely perished in the zinethium-triggered explosion."
"My friends have been decimated by the Sith and their traitorous cohorts, and the institutions and people I cherish are at risk of being destroyed for good." Kajin bitterly lamented, before he earnestly vowed, "But I say this, to our embattled citizenry: the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances and its leaders, ever your humble and diligent servants, will continue to defend you, your worlds, and the liberties the Sith seek to take away from you, and working with the rest of the galaxy, we will remain strong in resolve and might."
"And to those that still believe that I am a Jedi puppet, or that they and their allies are the true enemies of all you cherish, I offer you one final chance at redemption. Lashing out in anger and fear will do none of us any good, and only undo all the progress we have made in healing the scars of the past."
"But let me be clear: If you do not stand down in exactly one hour from now, then you will never walk free again. I have ordered the military to suppress your petty acts of defiance by any means necessary. We are in the middle of a galactic war, and sacrifices will have to be made by us all if we are to survive, let alone emerge victorious."
"I pray you make the right decision long before time runs out, but I will be prepared to do what is necessary if you prove to be beyond reason at this point. May the Force be with you all with whatever you decide." Kajin solemnly stated before signing off.
Well, that was simple and to the point, like a finely tuned weapon. But if Garik was being honest, the speech could have gone far worse. At least Kajin did not get too sentimental or preachy with his message.
However, before he could speak to Wedge, the twelve-inch-hologram of Kajin replaced the Corellian's, and the Chief of State ordered Garik, "I know you have a significant number of your hidden assets trailing me, General. Fortunately, I have a much better task suited for the rogues than playing babysitter for me."
"Have them track down the remaining seditionists' cells and gather what intel they can on them, including seeing if they're connected to the Sith or any of their agents. We can't risk sacrificing hundreds or thousands of soldiers when they'll be needed for the coming wars."
Well, that was an order the former Wraith Leader could follow wholeheartedly, after he kept a few agents in reserve for the Chief of State's protection. The time for niceties and self-serving diplomacy had come to an end, but at least Kajin saw that, and was no Natasi Daala. That petulant schutta of a tyrant was the kind of leader Garik had no desire to ever follow again, not since his naïve youth as a holonet actor and Imperial puppet.
Kajin quickly followed his orders with a question, "What of Commander Savar and his division? How are their preparations going for Mandalore?"
"They're already proceeding at an accelerated pace for departure. At their current projections, they should be ready to move in no more than four hours."
"Excellent." Kajin gladly nodded. "Have the commander and his people depart the moment their ships are fully armed, fueled, and loaded. I would send them the Jedi assigned to protect me, but we need to be sure the Maladians don't have any more surprises prepared. Once the riots have been suppressed, it might do the Jedi's image good to have them aiding the most damaged sectors and their devastated populations and remind their youngest members of exactly what and whom they're fighting for."
Garik could find no fault with the idea, and would have voiced his approval, except he saw the holograms of Jagged, Releqy, and Kyle appear beside Kajin. Knowing his time to talk had passed, the commanding officer of Galactic Alliance Security quietly prepared himself for whatever consequences this broadcast would provide.
Silently wondering where Jaina was, Garik pushed those irrelevant thoughts aside for the time being. She was probably overseeing preparations for the Imperial military's rapid response task forces for the galaxy's Sith-involved hot spots. If she was ludicrous enough, she might even try to personally provide aid to the Mandalorians, a virtual suicide mission after her admission of helping to take over and rebuild the Galactic Empire after its brutal civil war.
Either way, he just hoped the four remaining figures could finish rallying the galaxy towards fighting their true enemies. Without a fully united front, the galaxy and its denizens would never truly recover from the infighting that had compromised the foundations of every civilization in existence.
Korriban
Sith Catacombs
Within Darth Krayt's Citadel
"How is the Iteration's growth progressing, Doctors?" Sorzus pressed both beings in charge of the rapidly accelerated growth of Edaan Palpatine's clone. Normally, she would have reached out with the Force to touch the clone's mind and see how it was handling all his progenitor's implanted memories. Unfortunately, with the Ysalamiri in use to stabilize the clone's mind through its rapid growth development, using the Force was not an option at this point.
With the Kaminoan Master Cloner Nala Se and Jedi and Sith historian Korin Aphra overseeing the clone's development, the currently eleven-year-old Iteration was just under halfway towards complete development. And Nala Se was eager to provide positive results for her patrons, especially since the success of this project determined if her people would regain their lost prestige once the Sith regained control of the galaxy.
Unfortunately, Korin, in his typical academia enthusiastic fashion, cut off Nala with his report, "We're precisely on schedule, Lady Sorzus. The clone's development is about forty-eight percent through, and it will be ready for its assessment in exactly five days."
"Very good." Sorzus nodded. But she found herself unable to speak further when Korin went off on another of his academic prattles.
"I must say, this Rakatan 'Mindspear' your agents discovered is a true marvel of combining the Force and technology, well beyond the scope of almost any cerebral transference technology I have ever had the pleasure of working with. And the collection of Force orders' treasures you have accumulated is nothing short of an archeologist's paradise. If only there was time for me to properly examine each artifact, I could do wonders for your arsenal." Aphra looked at Nala hopefully.
"Unfortunately, you cannot, Doctor Aphra." Nala irritably cut off the enthusiastic human. "Lord Krayt has your protégés studying the technology, and they will soon be aiding in removing the bulk of the Dread Lord's facilities off world."
"Off world? But why?" Korin asked, very curious about this update. "Korriban is a natural fortress and maze wrapped up into one convenient planet, to say nothing of it being your Order's ancestral home. Why would you abandon it now?"
Ruefully shaking her head, Sorzus cut off a scathing reprisal by Nala and calmly advised Korin, "I would strongly advise you to start reading our intelligence reports instead of keeping your focus entirely on your research. You need to know how the Jedi know of our presence here, and unless we take drastic measures to ensure the One Sith's survival, then Lord Krayt's dream will be destroyed in our birth world."
"Your wife and daughter are more than able to keep themselves informed on galactic events, and they still heavily contribute to the Grand Design. As even the Jedi would say, balance in life is essential for any path one might take."
Thinking of his beloved wife, Lona Aphra, and their intrepid adolescent daughter, Chelli Lona Aphra, Korin felt a surge of pride and hope for them. They were his source of inspiration and hope for him, for having lost faith in the Jedi three decades ago, after they became agents of the Galactic Alliance's Reconstruction Authority once the Yuuzhan Vong War concluded.
Having seen his heroes repeat the original Jedi Order's idiocy after the example of the Ruusan Reformations by enslaving themselves to a galactic bureaucracy demoralized the one-time stalwart pro-Jedi scholar. And that disheartenment only increased after the Swarm War that nearly divided the Jedi and accelerated the rise of Darth Caedus from within its highest ranks.
Korin wanted to build a great future for his family, one free of fear, ignorance, and pointless sluggishness by the galaxy's denizens, and he only regained the drive to do so after meeting one of Darth Krayt's undercover Sith. His words and the Dread Lord's dream for the future affected the historian so much, it convinced him to take his family with him to Korriban and help fulfill his true destiny.
And when the Iteration was ready to undo the Jedi's recent string of successes, soon a new Sith Empire would rise, and it would bring order from the chaos that had devoured so much of the galaxy. He only hoped he would be around long enough to see that dream finally come true, for he wanted to see the look on his daughter's face when she could finally explore the rest of the galaxy.
Honestly, Korriban was an archeological dream, and Korin could spend the rest of his life studying every tomb he encountered. But this desolate tomb of a world was no place for a young woman as adventurous and strong hearted as Chelli to spend her entire life on. And Lona, he could tell this world was slowly sapping away her formerly unbreakable spirit. The dark side was seeping into their bright spirits, a gradual process, but not irreversible.
He had to get them off this world, and soon. Hopefully, it would only be a few more months before total victory was ensured, and then he could get his family somewhere more vibrant in the galaxy. Oh, the sites he would take them to.
But he was getting ahead of himself. First, he had to help ensure this clone was ready for the daunting task Lord Krayt had in store for him. After all, kidnapping the original Edaan Palpatine and bringing him here would not be an easy task for even the most seasoned of the One Sith's warriors.
Bowing towards Sorzus, he respectfully complied, "I see your point, Lady Sorzus. I don't see how a few hours of rest and time with my family every now and then could hurt any of our projects. And besides, Doctor Se is a master at cloning and can go without me for a little while."
"Insufferable idiot." Nala bitterly muttered the moment Korin was out of earshot, forcing Sorzus to stop before bidding the human historian to go on.
Returning to stand just in front of the Kaminoan, Sorzus growled, "I warn you one last time, Doctor Se, do not speak ill about any of our allies. Such infighting is part of what did in the remnants of Sidious's Galactic Empire after his first demise. And we will need to think and act as one in the months to come if we are to survive the Alliance of Light's hunt for all our redoubts, let alone help your people reclaim their former glory in the New Order."
"I understand. But I simply wonder if relying on a brainwashed Jedi historian is wise. If any of our enemies, or especially his family, figure out what Lord Krayt has done to him, they might figure out a way to undo the spell your people put Doctor Aphra under." Nala deferentially pointed out, before Sorzus clenched her throat through a silent grip.
"Be grateful that I disabled the sound on all the lab's security cameras before coming in. I suspected you would bring this matter up once again, and I will not risk the good doctor's family discovering our manipulations on his disheartened mind and soul."
"Fortunately, you do not have to fret, since your concerns will not matter in the long run. Once Dr. Aphra completes his work, we shall dispose of him and the rest of his family. No loose ends must be allowed to flourish, and the three humans know too much of our operation to risk falling into enemy hands."
"However, if you breathe a word of this conversation to anyone, then our master will ensure that your people never recover from their economic downfall. And that will be the least of your concerns after Lady Haxar is done destroying your brilliant mind." Sorzus angrily warned, releasing Nala from her hold.
"I understand completely, my Lady." Nala respectfully, but with a touch of fear lacing her voice, acknowledged.
"Good." Sorzus then paused, likely from a command by her father or Lord Krayt. Dismissing Nala, Sorzus ordered the elder Kaminoan, "I have a dozen other matters to tend to in the next two hours alone. Continue with your work and ensure all projects proceed on schedule; but appraise me of any unforeseen developments the moment they arise in your department. We don't want any setbacks on your research when we're about to need every advantage we can get to survive."
As soon as Sorzus departed the cloning facility, she telepathically answered her father's call, "I am here, Father."
There has been a change of plans regarding the capture of Edaan Palpatine, for you will now be the one to lead this operation. Lord Krayt will explain everything to you, along with Lord Snoke in the strategic conference center. You are to meet them there right away. Wyyrlok commanded his daughter.
Hiding her confusion at the sudden orders, astonishment at the incredible responsibility she was being entrusted with, and concern over what brought about this sudden change in strategy, Sorzus loyally complied, "I will be there immediately."
Good. We will have much to do if we are to prepare you for your infiltration to the Dathomir System by the end of next week. Wyyrlok warned before ending the telepathic summons.
Dathomir, the planet of the Witches and home to a strong Jedi presence? This was already shaping up to be an ominous assignment. It was fortunate that the One Sith had quite a few Nightsisters in their ranks and could give her strike force an edge against the Jedi.
And, by taking a page from Vestara Khai's manipulations of a Nightsister clan sixteen years ago, they could quite possibly bolster their numbers and deal a strong blow against the Jedi's operations in that galactic region. And if such manipulations failed, there was always outright force.
Quelli Sector
Dathomir Orbit
Aboard the New Dawn
It took every ounce of Edaan's willpower not to push the engines to full throttle and barrel his way to the Outer Rim's second-most populous Jedi Academy on the ancient world of Dathomir, even as his body threatened to give out from fatigue from the wormhole he had created.
He could feel his beloved's life force stabilize before the ship's medical droid and its careful and precise administrations and remembered his teachings to effectively rein in his fears. He could vividly imagine exactly how Adari and Artoo would give him a terrible verbal lashing if he destroyed everyone aboard while trying to save the former's life, and that would be an undesirable outcome for all.
To add to his stress, he had to remember how, according to Kyle, the Jedi Order's traitor problem was more rampant than anyone could have anticipated. If he was to keep a step ahead of the One Sith and his pilfered memories, in their custody, then he had to stay at the top of his game and rely on more unorthodox methods.
And with a Jedi Praxeum bordering the Galactic Empire, and conveniently located on a world rich in Force users and traditions, along with countless natural defenses, Dathomir was the best place for the Palpatines to have their honeymoon/retreat. Of course, the poisonous animals and Dark Side-affiliated Nightsisters would keep them on their toes, but no plan was perfect.
Then again, going into a Jedi healing trance for a little while was the best course of action he could take right now, since it would take time, another hour or two, at the very most, for the Jedi to get a team to the Jedi's hidden spaceport. Artoo and Edaan may have sent a priority transmission to the planet mere minutes before the New Dawn traveled to the ten-planet system, but there was no guarantee they would be able to respond immediately. Communications with the planet were difficult, even at the best of times.
And the young Jedi Knight would be no good to anyone if he collapsed midway through piloting the spacefaring vessel down to the Force-rich world. Opening a wormhole through time and space could drain every bit of even the strongest Force User's strength, and Edaan was nowhere near the Jedi of legend so many of his fellows aspired to be like.
Calling to Artoo, he alerted the astromech droid, "I need you to watch the cockpit, buddy. I'm putting the ship on autopilot for the final leg of our journey." Barely hearing Artoo's gloating raspberry, Edaan tiredly admitted, "Yes, I'm exhausted, and we'll need to wait a little while for Masters Ti and Streen to get a medical team to us. Since Adari's starting to be on the mend, I think I've earned the right to a little rest while she's examined."
Artoo concernedly whined, but Edaan reassured him, "Relax, buddy. I trust you. You've gotten the Skywalkers through much worse. But if anything goes wrong, you do whatever you must to get me out of my meditation. I won't let you face it alone."
Hearing Artoo warble in what he believed to be annoyance, Edaan tiredly chuckled, "That's not me being overbearing. That's me looking after you, who happens to be one of my best friends, and my dear wife who's still in quite bad shape." Setting the ship on autopilot, he allowed his exhaustion to consume him, and his heavy body all but collapsed, allowing him to enter a healing trance.
But before he fully lost consciousness, he uttered a silent prayer to the Celestials for whatever terrible wound in the Force that plunged his wife into a coma. Wherever it was that transpired, he instinctively knew that countless people had likely died, and that something big was going on, and hoped with all his heart that it was not the prelude of even direr things to come.
Csilla
Cssplar
Within the Convocate Hall
"You have made an impressive case for you and your people, Captain Faal." Coduyo'po'nekri, one of the two syndics representing the Coduyo Family in this summit, remarked while letting a trace of a smile cross his weathered face. "I see that your time as a leader has done well for your rhetoric."
Hearing Khedryn passionately speak on behalf of the denizens of those that bordered the Chiss Ascendancy, defending their worth and potential while offering the Chiss people a chance to grow and expand on its own terms amazed the aging man. And his promise to help rescue its citizens in the One Sith's captivity further stirred something that had been long suppressed within the elder leader, hope for change in the stagnating power.
But while he knew that would not be easy, it was a goal he would fight for with every breath of life in his wizened body.
Hoping to convince others to see the worth in this self-proclaimed scoundrel, he amusingly remarked, "Once, I would not have expected as much from a man who surrounded himself with countless rogues such as himself. Though, I have been both glad and remorseful to be proven wrong many times before throughout my decades of service to the Ascendancy."
Growing somber, Coduyo'po'nekri bitterly continued, "When the Ssi-Ruuk were defeated by the separate campaigns of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the New Republic, followed by their failed campaign of revival by their P'w'eck slaves and the Galactic Alliance during the Yuuzhan Vong War, we assumed they were defeated for good, and posed no threat to the Ascendancy.
"And when the Vaagarai's homeworld of Vagar Praxut, along with its cluster of key industrial worlds in the Kharmort's Miasma Nebula, were discovered and invaded, and their military was broken and dissolved, we believed the danger from our long-standing enemies had finally ended."
He grew ever more somber as he continued. "But we grossly underestimated two enemies and their adaptable resolve to destroy us, for they allied with the Sith. And because of all these factors, now our citizenry, every one of our worlds, and countless civilizations outside our borders are paying the price for our combined hubris, rigid adherence to our ancient traditions, and family lines and intrigue too often pitting us against each other."
"If we are all being honest with ourselves, our situation is rather quite like the Galactic Alliance and its stagnation following its expulsion of the Jedi when they liberated Coruscant from the Lost Tribe of the Sith's occupation and its propaganda machine." Before any cries of disbelief or outrage could erupt, Coduyo'po'nekri continued.
"Yes, the Jedi Order made many mistakes throughout the eons and will undoubtedly make countless more for as long as it exists in any incarnation. But they have learned from their failures and have sufficiently adapted to meet the needs of peoples outside of their eons-old obligations to a single government or an ancient cosmic power."
"And now, we need to take a similar approach if we hope to survive the revival of the Iskalloni, Tofs, Ebruchi, Sorcerers of Rhand, and Vagaarai, and protect those in danger from every one of them and their Sith patrons."
"Forgive me, but exactly how can we trust that once we open our borders to the outsiders, they will not take advantage of us? How can we be sure that our sovereignty over the Ascendancy will be upheld?" Erighal'ok'sumf, one of the two syndics representing the Erighal Great Family, skeptically questioned.
Unfortunately, to his shock, he saw precious few of his allies nodding in agreement, for it seemed the scavenger's words were gaining traction from many members of this once-prestigious body.
"I don't believe Coduyo'po'nekri was claiming as such in his imploring message." Arazi'or'elani pointedly challenged. "And there is always the risk of interference by outside forces, or even those from within that fear change so greatly, they shut out any possibility of adapting. But we will be able to take control of such matters after our enemies and their dark plots have been crushed. Right now, our people's survival is what matters most. All other concerns are secondary."
Seeing that the mood of the chamber was growing apprehensive, Saganu tactfully suggested, "You have given us much to consider, honored representatives. Considering all that we have learnt, I believe we should take an hour-long recess to process these words before we reconvene to hear our guests' final piece."
Momentarily glaring at the charismatic Aristocra with a suspicious glint in his eyes, Ba'kar reluctantly seconded the motion, "Very well. The summit shall reconvene in exactly one hour and hope that the best course is laid for the Chiss Ascendancy."
Quietly typing on his personal questis data-link reader, the Chiss version of a datapad, he sent the message to Sev'eere'nuruodo and was quietly relieved once he saw her gaze of mutual understanding and agreement.
It was time for them to take a gamble with the Alliance of Light and disclose to their chosen few the Ascendancy's best-kept secret regarding the controversial legacy of Mitth'raw'nuruodo and his extensive usage of cloning in his service to the Empire.
A titanic gamble, but if Parliament did not see reason and fully commit itself to this joint cause, then the Defense Force and the Aristocracy would have to risk the unthinkable if they were to keep their civilization alive. And, ironically enough, Senior Captain Kivu'raw'nuruodo had long sought to meet the successors of those who defeated his greatest inspiration. So, when the Chiss stood at the precipice of destruction, now would be the best time for him to do so.
The supreme general just hoped Jan, Khedyrn, and perhaps Master Durron, could keep this kind of secret from their subordinates. He needed a handful of individuals he could trust with this responsibility, one from each of the divisions in the Alliance's factions to help coordinate this covert force. But if it failed or leaked out, the political firestorm it would unleash would be a force strong enough to tear the Ascendancy apart from the seams.
Within the Gargon System
Aboard the Turbulent-class Star Destroyer Mandator
Drikl Lecerscen, formerly a prestigious Moff of the Galactic Empire, one-time co leader of a conspiracy to overthrow both the Empire and Galactic Alliance, and currently, and now an ally of the One Sith, was in his private cabin, listening intently to the report coming in from the latter's top-ranked agent in the Mandalorian Protectors.
According to the mole, Boba Fett was about to receive an influx of reinforcements from proactive and glory-hungry Hutt kajidic Parella Jiramma Baco, Galactic Alliance Security commander Thern Savar and a battalion of Security agents and elite Void Jumpers, and several Imperial strike forces that were being led by Jedi Council member and Imperial usurper Jaina Solo Fel.
Well, the Imperials were being held up, thanks to the BAMR tabloid bombshell on the Empire's reorganization, and that kept the Jedi coalition's forces from committing themselves to the Mandalorians' relief force through the latter's antagonism with all Force Users. Never mind the ramifications of the Jedi Order's grand master and a few of his subordinates forming a secret pact with the Chiss and Zakuul, whatever reforms they supposedly underwent over the decades and millennia.
An unfortunate piece of news for the Alliance of Light, for the agent had just divulged to Drikl where this attack squadron was currently rendezvousing at, one sector away from the contested Mandalore Sector within the outskirts of the Demetras's Sector's Phindar System.
And with the Jedi Order's current Sword of the Jedi detached from just about any allies, now was the perfect time for the One Sith to take one of their most powerful adversaries off the dejarik board and severely damage the Alliance's offensive capabilities. It was a sentiment completely shared by Lord Wyyrlok and Belok Rhal, the Supreme Commander of the Mandalorian supremacists of the Neo Hidden Chain, which was why Lecersen was preparing to personally lead the attack fleet against the would-be liberators.
Only the approval for launching the attack remained, and then the onslaught could begin. Then, perhaps Lecersen could prove to the One Sith of his usefulness and help them rebuild once they retreated from every war front.
Despite the ex-Moff's power-hungry nature, even he knew better than to cross the Sith, and especially prove himself expendable to beings who could dispose of him with little more than an afterthought. And with Natasi Daala exiled from the known galaxy and his allegiance to Darth Krayt made public, there was no one left for him to find refuge with.
Unfortunately, the true struggle for his survival lay in his ability to stay useful to them with their campaigns turning against them because of the insufferable Jedi Palpatine and the alliance he laid the foundations for. The signs of the Sith going into exile once again were all around him, but he had no desire to go down with the rest of their disposable and clueless pawns, just like he would have been if he had continued to serve Daala.
The Sith would need leaders and Lecersen to help them rebuild their armies and allow them to stay one step ahead of their mortal adversaries, and Drikl had every intention of making the cut.
It was the only path he would accept for himself; he deserved better than to be discarded by the galaxy after all his years of plotting and clawing his way to the heights of power he held.
But first, there were a few loose ends he had to help the Sith tie up, ones that involved capturing or silencing two rogue high-ranking Imperials that served Daala's anti-Force crusade. From what little Drikl had learnt from Wyyrlok, someone was giving the madwoman's fleets of fugitives a secure haven and were likely backing the full scope of her research, and Lord Krayt had tasked the two with uncovering all they could on these unseen patrons.
At the very least, such efforts might give the Sith another key scientist for their research in all esoteric matters, and they could never have too many brilliant and demented minds on their forced payroll.
Fortunately, he had just received a transmission from his Sith advisor and smiled at the set of orders he was given. In just under one standard week, he would be able to put aside his hypothetical assessments for the time being and focus on doing some actual damage to his enemies.
He just needed to wait for Lord Wyyrlok's arrival as a force to deal with the Alliance task force's Jedi. If the Sith used a wormhole to create a shortcut, then it would tip off Jaina's people and likely preempt their attack on the blockade while increasing solidarity between the Alliance's factions. That only left more conventional methods of travel.
Besides, no one wanted to risk destroying all of space and time through continuous usage of these small tears in the fabric of this plane of reality.
Contacting the Mandator's bridge, he ordered his XO, "Prepare all ships for departure to the rendezvous point. I want the fleet ready to launch before I return to the bridge."