Twelve Hours Later
Dathomir
Within the Talzin Mountians
Every fiber of Edaan's soul retched at being here, not simply because these desolate remains of a settlement were a nexus of dark side energy, and not since he was so close to the man who tried to corrupt him. But the severe pounding in his head and blood boiling wasn't helping him maintain his composure amidst hundreds of Sith and their servants.
He sensed how this ruined village, the home of notorious Nightsister matron Talzin, its echoes of the slaughter his ancestor wrought on the coven to eliminate a threat to his plans, was a focal point of countless dark rituals and inhumane acts. And that same darkness called out to the malignant tumor Krayt poured into him, gripping his heart and filling his being with a terrifying rage. That fury only compounded the fear running rampant in his mind, and he found himself uncontrollably pacing around the courtyard.
Even as he, Adari, and Taron waited, under heavy guard, to hear the One Sith's decision on the warnings on the Olpakans and True Sith Empire, his mind kept searching for any small detail he might have overlooked in soliciting their help. His recollections were continually interrupted by the jeers and probing glares the One Sith's acolytes gave him until he gave up. Defeatedly sighing, he plopped down on a log, and Taron counseled him,
"Don't let this waiting get to you, Edaan. We did all we could to try and convince Krayt, and it's all up to the Force now."
"Sorry." Edaan said, calmer near a serene presence and anchoring himself in his light. "I just don't like hanging near so many Sith. Especially that Chagrian woman."
"You saw it too, then?" Adari stated. Glancing back at the same spot where the young Sith woman stared towards her husband before she was called back to consult with Krayt, she recognized that type of look, an unhealthy mix of admiration and carnal hunger, obvious to anyone who lusted after a lover. Shivering at remembering that wanting gaze, she made light of it by joking, "I didn't think you had any fans in the One Sith."
Sensing the roaring darkness that was Darth Krayt approaching them, everyone grew silent and prepared themselves for anything. And the Dread Lord did return, accompanied by his acolytes, and he spoke with the authority of a strong leader, "You have staked your lives and souls on these warnings. If I wished, I could capture you all right now and make off with you before the Jedi could launch a retaliatory strike."
"But your courage and bold warnings, they impress me in a way that I haven't felt in many years. I know you aren't lying, for this… desperate last alliance, it is not the kind you – each of you - would make unless you genuinely believed it was true."
"And I know that you speak the truth, for two of my disciples have informed me of the covert whispers Lando Calrissian has already tried to make for us to enact a truce." Krayt added.
"Then… what does this mean?" Adari cautiously asked. Not flinching at Krayt's commanding and scrutinizing gaze, she thought she saw a glimmer of pity and respect in his one orange eye.
"It means, little Keshiri," The Chagrian sneered, making the Palpatines hatefully glare at her, "That Lord Krayt will agree to meet with Grand Master Katarn and General Calrissian to discuss forging a truce with your Alliance of Light."
"If Daala is planning to eradicate the Force with a new army, and the Rhandites have betrayed us, then, much as it sickens many of us, we would be idiots to ignore our precarious state."
"Halt your attacks on us, and my people will withdraw from your battlefields and let the civilians recover from our occupations." Krayt simply proposed. "I will convince my followers to collaborate with yours, and then, once you convince your allies to do the same, we can prepare to face our mutual enemies."
Taron, taking the lead, cordially nodded, "We'll… see what we can do."
"I suggest you move quickly. We likely don't have long before our enemies move against us, and it will be difficult to delay my people's aggression without direct proof or provocation."
Telona 28th, 59 ABY
Within Chiss Space
Cioral
Inside the House Miurani Estate
It had been two days since Saganu had been given the name the Miskara provided him, and still, there were no leads on the Chiss individual suicidal enough to don Mitth'raw'nuruodo's birth name. Not even Rensalm's favors in House Miurani's rivals, and even the few agents he had been able to embed in the Empire of the Hand would be enough in dredging out the truth of this madness. All these failures were quickly driving Saganu insane with dread.
This grand conspiracy, for that was the only term that could explain the secrets that were festering within the Ascendancy's highest levels of power, that was using Thrawn's twisted legacy and blatant disregard for the Chiss's traditions and protocols to suit his glory hound ways, must have a weak link. Someone must know something about this cabal, and they had to come clean to protect the Ascendancy from the threats assaulting it from within and outside its borders.
If only he could call upon his own agents placed on Vagar Praxut to investigate Fooraki's operations, but the military had jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the Vagaari. Besides, the mid admiral ensured that anyone who worked there was subjected to thorough background checks to ensure family loyalties would not interfere with this occupation.
To make matters worse, after this "Vurawn" and his partners in the absurd Alliance of Light arrived, Fooraki had shut down all nonessential communications within his forces, and begun reworking his entire command structure, throwing everything into chaos.
Well, if he did not have any agents stationed out there, he would have to find a few pliable officers and soldiers willing to do his dirty work. Much as he might wish otherwise, these underhanded machinations were a necessary evil to finally uncover the vast corruption embedded in the heart of his precious government and excise it before it led the Chiss down the path of ruin.
When all was said and done, let the Chiss and the lesser races and their pathetic governments vilify him all they want. But if it could restore the Ascendancy's noble pillars and stability that had slipped away from so much outside interference, then it would all be worth it in the end.
Interrupting his conspiratorial musings, Saganu's questis pinged, and he received a message from a Chiss he hadn't spoken with in a long time. The Supreme Admiral, Krets'shawnkyr'nuruodo, had requested his presence, along with that of all of Parliament, the Aristocracy, and the Defense Council, to an emergency summit in two weeks. According to the scant details she was willing to provide, there was a new development in the war with the One Sith and mounting evidence of corruption at the highest levels of power in the Ascendancy.
If the Alliance of Light uncovered his proactive investigations and labeled it as treason, then he would ensure his peers would continue his fight in his absence. But if the corruption went the other way, and someone had discovered treachery between the Chiss's temporary allies, then this could be the opportunity and vindication he had long awaited. Either way, he would be prepared.
Vagar Praxut
Eskarrh
Within the Hikmet Restaurant
"Been a while since I've seen one of your kind here, and I'd remember a person dressed up as boldly as you. Whaddya want, stranger?" The Vagaari bartender jovially asked the gold-armored human sitting in front of her.
"Whatever the house special is for people like me, plus a hearty drink till I meet up with a frequent patron here." Soldier nonchalantly handed the bartender a ten-credit chit with a piece of paper wrapped around it.
Eyeing the chit with curiosity, she swiped it away and deftly pocketed the money before reading the message. Any friendly demeanor left in the woman was washed away by her ulterior business, and after handing the Paladin Captain a shot of liquor, she warningly addressed him, "And your buddy? The guy who came in with you. Is he a friend of yours?" Gesturing for the roguishly dressed patron sampling a local favorite off-world meal, Soldier glanced at Khedryn and nodded to the bartender.
"He's an old acquaintance who I owe a few favors to and has a personal investment in my kind of work." Soldier explained. "But I'm not here to chit chat with you. I'm here for your underboss, and he'll be interested in hearing what Khedryn Faal and his organization can offer his people in return for his unique services."
Eyes glistening with acknowledgement of the smuggler kingpin, the barkeep warned Soldier, "He's in Booth Ten. You know the drill with Haplif, Soldier boy, but keep Mr. Faal from mouthing off to him. Your friends' fleet has everyone across the planet about as tense as a powder keg right about now."
"As if the situation wasn't tense beforehand." Soldier irritably countered, briefly glaring at the bartender at the intentional name slip. Gruffly nodded in thanks before downing his drink in one gulp, savoring the slight buzz it gave his mind, and handing the woman a five-credit chit, quietly walked over to his partner for the rendezvous.
"Any last-minute tips you need to give me before we meet this contact of yours?" Khedryn nonchalantly pointed out after finishing the last of his breakfast and following the Aqulian officer towards their contact.
"Speak only when spoken to, don't ask him about his past, and don't try to eat anything on his plates." Soldier offhandedly listed off, before remembering a crucial fact, "Oh, and he's an Agbui, so be respectful in your thoughts unless you want him to get offended."
"A telepath. Great." Khedryn groaned, his mind alert and fully on guard now at the impending meeting, and wary of what dangers he would momentarily walk right into.
Knowing how the Unknown Regions were becoming increasingly influenced by the Chiss while turning into more of a melting pot for the many mysterious communities, numerous once obscure races were finding their voice in an expanding regional community.
And with the Agbui, a typically secretive race who could read a person's thoughts and emotions through the slightest physical contact and were experts at analyzing others' culture and society through the smallest scraps of information, few secrets could be kept from their few migrants for very long.
"Not just an Agbui. He's only the most powerful information broker and most connected arms dealer of this region of Chaos. Don't even think of underestimating him." Soldier warned before knocking on the wood besides the curtain.
A moment later, the shroud opened to reveal five Agbui, beings with distinct dark red and off-white skin, two guarding the entrance and three others, two males and a female, engaged in a multi-course meal. The colors of each of their faces manifested in seemingly random patterns, having longer fingers than a human's, their heights ranging from 1.5 to 2 meters.
The tallest of the three sitting Agbui, with a height of about 2.3 meters, put down his utensils and wiped his hands before talking to Soldier with his mouth having lipless slits, and speaking in his native language that sounded scratchy to the two human observers.
"It's good to see you too, Haplif." Soldier politely returned the greeting in Basic for Khedryn's benefit. Motioning to the kingpin, he introduced him, "Allow me to present my associate, Khedryn Faal."
Eyes glowing in slight recognition, Haplif, speaking in a hoarse Basic, offhandedly recalled, "Ah. I believe I have heard of you, Mister Faal, from many of my many friends and occasionally throughout Wild Space. You and your retinue of smuggler and scavenger followers and clients have been the talk on many lips for quite some years for your sudden rise to power."
"I imagine it's the same for many people throughout a great deal of Chaos these days." Khedryn respectfully responded.
"Too true." Haplif amusingly nodded. "Why don't you two have a seat, and I can order you some food while we discuss the reason for this sudden call, never mind the Jedi sending a war fleet into the heart of a Chiss occupation?"
After the two men quickly took their seats, Haplif quickly, and rather smugly, summed up the situation, "Considering the Sith's ties, both the One Sith and Nihil Retreat, with the Vagaari and countless other races that your blue friends have subjugated, it isn't much of a stretch to assume you want proof that they are collaborating so you can crush their smoldering sparks of resistance, before they start a blaze."
"The question I ask is this. Why should my people get involved in a Chiss internal struggle and greater galaxy religious feud? Even if the Sith rule the galaxy, surely the Agbui can adapt and prove useful to this new ruling power."
"Would you truly trust either Sith order, knowing their lack of regard for anyone who interferes in their domination or eventually outlives their usefulness?" Soldier calmly countered. "Their legacy is one of manipulating and discarding everyone who isn't one of them, and even a race as intelligent and talented as yours can't last forever, all alone against the dark storm they'll unleash on us all."
"The Jedi, as sanctimonious as most of them might be, at least try to help the little guy and look out for their friends." Khedryn insightfully added.
"You should know better, Captain Faal." A female Agbui sarcastically stated. "You did lose a friend and former shipmate to the Jedi and Admiral Daala's horrific experiments five years ago."
Jaw clenching tightly in fury over the callous mention of Marr Idi-Shael, Khedryn slowly ground out, "Yes, I did. And I spent years mourning him and trying to drown my sorrows in the galaxy's underbelly."
"But that didn't ease the pain or save others from Daala twisted experiments and the Sith's indoctrination camps. That is why I stayed in the Jedi's fold, and that is why I'm here now, to help save innocent children from suffering the same fate. And this is exactly what you ought to do if you want your children to have a future of their own."
"A most passionate speech, Captain Faal." The younger male Agbui sardonically noted. "But your efforts at a sales pitch must have fallen far from allying with these idealistic fools if you expect us to assist you based on emotions and sentiments alone.
"So, what do you really have to offer us that can be of benefit for our people?"
Soldier, seeing Khedryn about to murderously explode from Iopal's insensitive prodding, decided to forgo diplomacy now and warn Haplif, "It seems like you've already picked your side and are trying to line your pockets with more blood money. Then how about you take a message to the Miskara for us?"
Eyes narrowing at the clone, Haplif was prepared to deny such blatant favoritism before seeing Soldier take out his lightsaber and warn, "Tell him that the Aquilian Republic is ready to return to war, and this world the first target of our war of redemption."
"I came to represent the people of Zakuul, and we're ready to make our mark on the galaxy after the disastrous campaigns and tyranny of Valkorion and his offspring's Eternal Empire." Soldier boldly admitted, nearly making the three Agbui pale from the threat's sheer shock.
"Give your client that message, then you'd better crawl out to whatever hole you have as a bunker. You won't get a second chance to escape the coming firestorm that will consume the Chaos." Soldier finished, smirking at the terror plastered on his former associates' faces before leading Khedryn out of the tapcafe.
Walking back to their rendezvous point, Khedryn bitterly pointed out, "And you wanted me to be respectful to Haplif. I just don't want to face the others on our own when we deliver them the bad news."
"On the contrary, it all went exactly as our genius ally planned." Soldier knowingly smirked, relishing the astonished look plastered all over the kingpin's face. "The message has been delivered, and now all we need to do is keep a watchful eye on the enclave for the next few days."
"And why wasn't I told of this supposed master plan?" Khedryn all but whined.
"In order for you to be yourself and set the stage for the warning." Soldier simply answered, before smirking, "I told you right now, didn't I? Now, time to prepare for Phase Two."
Let's just hope Fooraki's people and our allies will all be ready to mobilize once we get the intel we need. The clone Paladin Captain quietly ruminated.
Falleen
Port Nowhere
Within the Main Garrison
"Trouble, Master Jedi?" Haxim good-naturedly asked Leia while they both combed through the casualty reports of the last six battlefronts across a third of the planet, the rebel leader marveling at the utter collapse of morale among his father's faltering followers.
On just about every front, the fighting was dying down and the Alliance was aiding the ex-prince's forces with sifting through the rubble, capturing fleeing high-ranking officers in Redhan's diminishing armies, and providing immediate relief to all beleaguered civilians caught in the crossfires of this war.
Soon, the final secured enemy refuge, the capital city and where the source of the planet's corruption was holed up in, would be broken when the dredges of a royal family and their Sith rulers would be apprehended or killed, and Falleen would be finally liberated from its longstanding tyranny.
No more than a week remained before the Alliance and the Falleen transitory government launched their endgame on Redhan's palace and Haxim razed it to the ground. Then, the last symbol of the corrupt and rotting monarchy would go down and a new brighter future could begin for the Falleen people, one of peace, cooperation, and dignity.
But first, he had to make sure everyone was ready for the final battle, whether they were one of his soldiers or an off-world ally. The first person on the list of Haxim's little counseling sessions was his Jedi advisor, Alliance observer, and personal bodyguard sent to protect him against any would-be Sith or Royal Family assassins.
He would not normally try to pry into anyone's well-being, especially a woman of such renown and vigor as Leia Organa Solo. The Jedi surely had their own support system in place for helping its members cope with their own trauma and loss. No one wanted another rogue Jedi or Sith in the making to run amok.
Still, he could see the signs of weariness and underlying fear plastered across Leia's eyes, and though he knew she had a great family and support system to help her, it could not hurt to offer help to her and the rest of the Jedi if need be. It was the least he could do for all their order had done in helping to set the stage for Falleen's liberation, and Haxim Axlan always was a man to pay all his debts in full.
"I'm fine, General." Leia off-handedly promised. "Just the stress of getting old and playing ambassador after all these years of blood, tears, and toil."
"I can understand that." Haxim sympathetically nodded. "And how about the rest of your Jedi. Are they holding up okay with this war?"
"This is what they trained for. And we both know this is the tip of the iceberg in this war. Things are only going to get worse for the galaxy from here on out." Leia patiently reminded Haxim.
"True. But, if they need another outlet for their anxiety, I know a few professionals who would at least be willing to hear them out and let them vent." Haxim kindly offered.
"You mean counselors." Leia surmised, smiling before acknowledging, "That's very kind of you. I will let the rest of the Jedi know that if they ever need an expert and fresh face to talk to. In fact, I am sure many soldiers and civilians out here could use such a service, especially the children kept in Sith captivity for so long. Force only knows what horrors they went through down there."
"Of course. I have already prepared a statement regarding such an idea to my council and prepared to allocate a great deal of funds and facilities to help them recover from their trauma." Haxim agreed, before boldly adding, "And if you ever want to talk to someone, the same offer is open to you as well."
"Thank you, General." Leia respectfully nodded, some of the tension leaving her face, but her eyes, those haunted eyes, remained the same. Whatever was truly hurting her, she wanted to handle it herself.
Very well. If Leia wanted to keep it private, then Haxim would respect it. But that did not mean he would do nothing to help a friend and ally. He would keep the door open for a talk whenever she wanted and extend the same offer to the rest of her family. Honestly, it was the least he could do for their work to continuously protect and liberate the galaxy from evil in all its forms.
Batuu
Within the Black Spire Ruins
Inside the Sith Command Center
Even after fifteen years of impersonating slavers, rogue generals, and even the occasional Sith that tried to inflict harm on the Galactic Alliance, Turman still marveled at how ridiculously idiotic his friends' enemies were when the Clawdite actor assumed the form and mannerisms of one of their valued officers.
Remembering how close Team Tau came to facing death in the heart of the Jerrard Mountains before their allies rescued them from the doomed mines, even as the Clawdite got separated from his friends and teammates already at the extraction point, the Wraith was still driven to get something out of this debacle.
So, like any desperate actor and commando would do, and with a planet's worth of luck, he ambushed a retreating squad with a few packets of Viull's scientific creations that replicated the Yuuzhan Vong's immobilizing Blorash jelly. He then took on the physical appearance of the squad leader and made his way to the rendezvous point after literally burning away any potential loose ends in his dead captors.
But what he did not expect was that he took on one of the Sith overseer's best captains, or that his sheer improvisation of the late officer's personality was enough to pass the scrutiny of Ordo's guards and allow him access into the Sith command center.
Once he entered the ruins and made sure he had a moment to breathe and reassess his position, he knew he had to gather as much information as he could and deliver it to his friends. That meant he needed to put his impersonation skills to the test, along with every other unorthodox skill he had picked up along the way since the reestablishment of Wraith Squadron.
Turman, through shifting his form to keep his enemies guessing on potential saboteurs and traitors, he learnt much about Dician's final strategy. Uncovering the Sith's clever use of their capital ships to carry their cargo of pre-Republic marauders, their departure in two days, with a diversion in play to cover their withdrawal, their scorched-earth endgame smacked of desperation and had to be stopped.
Even more troubling was how Xasha Xizor, the supposed leader of the Freedom's Riches cult, had been arrested by Dician's acolytes on charges of high treason. All Turman's efforts to uncover more of this betrayal were blocked, with all information kept within the Sith Lady's close circle of trust. But just who was the anarchist priest really serving and what led her to play both Jedi and Sith against each other?
This was the decisive moment the Alliance needed to take advantage of before it slipped away and displaced and ruined a planet's worth of lives. And thanks to the message he had provided to one of Dok-Ondar's spies, after tracking her down and giving him a packet to hand off to her patron, they would be prone to make their move by the end of tomorrow.
Now, while he still held the element of surprise, he needed to finish setting up his surprises for tomorrow, as well as try to uncover what he could from the results of Xasha Xizor's interrogation. When the pandemonium of Batuu's final battle began, he would have to act fast if he was to find out the truth behind the new player in this war.
Whoever had been manipulating the galaxy this long, operating with no one being the wiser, the actor/commando knew they would be a greater threat than any the One Sith could be. And that thought scared him more than he cared to admit.
Korriban
Sith Catacombs
Darth Krayt's Citadel
"I truly wish I could show you the full extent of the Sith's libraries, young Iteration." Korin lamented as he led Tau outside the Sith Archives. "There are hundreds of wonders being taken away for safety that can keep a Sith disciple enthralled in their artifacts for ages if they are not aware of the dangers. But at least there are a few lesser holocrons here that can keep your active mind occupied."
"Actually, there is something I needed to ask you, Doctor Aphra, but it's a personal question." Tau carefully began. "What was it that convinced you the Sith were the best beings to rule the galaxy after years of keeping such a ridiculously pious faith in the Jedi?"
His easygoing eyes narrowing, Korin tensely asked, "Who told you that little rumor?"
"Your wife and daughter told me the basics, but I figured I'd hear it from you to gather the most information." Tau humbly prostrated himself, "I apologize if I'm overstepping my bounds, but I want to understand how a man who was once so enthralled by the Jedi, even as they fought threat after threat, that led you and your family to join the One Sith."
Appraising the curious clone with a guarded gaze, Korin purposefully countered, "Why do you want to learn so much about me? I wouldn't think you would be so interested in the life of such a lowly servant."
"Just because I'm a clone doesn't mean I can't take a little initiative every now and then or be a bit curious like my genetic source." Tau said, a hint of defensiveness entering his voice after rising to meet Korin's glare. "Besides, I want to understand what makes people truly tick on my own while I still have a little time to myself. And you should know this, but is seeking knowledge in and of itself so wrong?"
Seemingly satisfied, even as he felt a headache come about, Korin decided to humor the wavering clone, "You have my sincere apologies, young man. Your questions just reminded me a little of myself back in my idealistic youth, times I'd prefer not to go back to. But if going back to those days will help you understand why I serve the Sith, then I'll oblige you this one time.
"A few months after the Second Galactic Civil War, I was approached by a male Arkanian, Arko Repawl, who used to be a primary funder of my Jedi-Sith research. Like me, he was disgusted by the war that erupted because two rogue Jedi and two Shadow Academy fugitives stoked the fires of war between the Killiks and Chiss before nearly creating a bug-led galactic apocalypse, and the Jedi and Galactic Alliance's inept handling of the whole affair.
"I had trusted them with the safety and security of the galaxy after the Yuuzhan Vong War, and they squandered the hard-won peace everyone came together to survive the Vong's madness by playing politics and restricting the freedoms of the individual and worlds they lived on.
"It was a second Galactic Empire in the making, but this one with a Jedi Order at the pinnacle of power in the government they helped create. The ultimate betrayal of their principles and their predecessor's beliefs, only amplified to borderline depression after that petulant brat of Darth Caedus tried to take over the galaxy and leave it in ruins if it meant protecting his royal bitch of a daughter."
Korin stopped here to recompose himself, surprising Tau with the pain and heartache in his expression, even as the Iteration tried to glean deeper into his patron's mind. The older man did not lie about a single claim, as twisted as they were, but there was something unusual in his demeanor. It was almost as if a dark shroud was wrapped around the Aphra patriarch and was twisting his very being.
"What happened next?" Tau asked, a hint of anxiety growing in the pit of his stomach as a dreadful hypothesis began forming in his encyclopedic mind.
"It turns out that in the years after the Yuuzhan Vong invaded the galaxy, Arko went through a few changes of his own. He had become an acolyte of the One Sith and offered me the chance to remake the galaxy into a just society.
"As you might expect after researching the Sith so extensively and witnessing the legacy of one Sith empire, I was petrified at even being near a Sith Lord, ready to even jump out of my skin if it meant surviving that encounter. But Arko - I mean - Darth Invidious, he instead spoke with such clarity, such passion, and hope for the future under Darth Krayt's leadership, that I could not help but be intrigued. As a result, I wanted to hear more, and Invidious was happy to oblige over the next few weeks."
And you were brainwashed into joining the One Sith, you idealistic fool. Just like Mandalore the Ultimate was brainwashed into attacking the Old Republic before Revan stopped his Neo-Crusaders. Tau deduced with a pall of horror over his mind.
This man was not a willing participant of the One Sith's schemes, but a poor victim by manipulation when he was at his lowest point in his devotion. While the cold and analytical part of Tau's mind could admire the planning into securing such an investment, his heart could not help but be disgusted by the depraved lengths the Sith went to in getting their assets onto their side.
Instead of trying to talk a heavy dose of sense into Korin, he played along, asking, "How did you convince your wife to join you here? I can't imagine such a vibrant spirit such as hers, and with a newly born daughter no less, agreeing to such a drastic change in… well, living arrangements."
"Let's just say I had to use some… underhanded means." Korin evasively admitted. "Means I wish I didn't have to use, even if they were all for the greater good."
Growing cheerful again, even as Tau disgustingly put together how he had Lona and Chelli kidnapped to keep his family together, Korin enthusiastically finished, "But it wasn't as bad as you might think. I got to meet countless colorful people and learn more about the Jedi-Sith history than I could ever get from the libraries of Obroa-skai. Lord Krayt has even allowed me a brief access to his most precious weapon, the one he found that will determine the fate of the galaxy once Abeloth inevitably returns."
The Mortis Dagger?! Tau nearly had a heart attack right then from shock, but he kept his emotions mostly in check. The only showing of emotion was his jaw clenching and hands fidgeting before breathing deeply to calm his raging mind and soul.
"And when we win this war and free the galaxy from the chains the Jedi and their lackeys have strewn among the galaxy, I just know my family will understand sooner than you and everyone else might think." Korin gladly continued.
Hopefully by the time I'm done here, you'll be free from the chains the Sith have placed on your mind and those of countless others. Tau earnestly vowed. But before he did anything, he needed to let Lona know of her husband's corrupted state of mind and learn all he could of the Sith's projects underway down here.
If they were willing to brainwash a historian and devastate a family to keep him out of the Jedi's hands, then what else were they capable of to the innocents the Dread Lord supposedly cared so deeply about? It was time for Tau to do a bit of digging into the full scope of his creators' so-called "Grand Design" and determine once and for all what path he should take with his life.
He might have helped the Aphras tip the Jedi off on Krayt's Dathomir ambush, but that was mostly due to his self-interest in wanting to preserve his personality if Edaan was captured. Tau was still coming to grips with his newfound freedom and wanted time to figure things out while preventing a genocidal planetary takeover in the process.
But now, he had a few days to think, and he was quickly coming to realize that he was currently on the wrong side of this war. Now, it was time for him to help as many as he could break the Sith's vile chains and get the one weapon of legend that was possible to obliterate Abeloth for good.
Krayt and his Sith would probably try to hoard the weapon to hold the galaxy hostage until they capitulated to his rule, and that was unacceptable, not with countless lives at stake and risking allowing the ultimate evil in all of creation to fully resurrect herself, all in the name of gaining temporary reign over countless worlds.
How ironic. Tau was starting to think like a Jedi. Perhaps he had more in common with his genetic source than he first believed and might enjoy a conversation or two with Edaan Palpatine, even as awkward as it might be. But first he had to survive long enough to have that meeting.
Within Nala Se's Cloning Labs
The Kaminoan marveled at the prototype of her masterpiece creation, other than the Iterations she had developed for Lord Krayt. Smaller than a tiny lump of flesh, and as thin as a piece of flimsi, the control chip she had developed to keep Clone Force 99 in line when serving the One Sith as their newest hit squad. Well, coupled with the rituals Lord Krayt's sorcerers would soon use on them as an extra piece of insurance, of course.
Gazing upon the five men kept within stasis pods, each of them making up the unconventional Imperial Commando squad, she remembered every facet of their skill sets. These genetic mutations would be invaluable to the sabotage campaign the One Sith remnants would begin after the rest of their order withdrew to safer worlds for the next couple of decades.
After so many decades of being apart from them, she still remembered each of the names they chose for themselves, and their best abilities and proclivities with perfect clarity. Soon, she would greatly relish the sight of watching the clones of the Bad Batch fulfilling their primary programming once again.
CT-9902, the muscle of Task Force 99 who aptly called himself Wrecker, he was a heavy demolitions expert and capable of tearing down most minor enemy fortifications with his brute strength alone. He was often one to keep a mortar on his back and helped absorb the brunt of attacks when the Bad Batch needed to forgo stealth.
CT-9903, the team's slicer, capable of breaking into and decoding just about enemy computer systems with even decades-old software and decryption programs he could scrounge up and personally upgrade. Giving himself the nickname Tech, aptly expressing himself as a master of all computer software and one master intellectual, he prided himself on his intellectual talents and masterful strategic mind.
CT-9904, the squad's chief sniper, had extra-sensory perception and was able to hit a target with perfect precision from distances rivaled only by few Jedi and even fewer marksmen. His sniper skills had allowed him to down many rogue warlords and enemy units from a safe distance and saved countless GAR lives. And from the psychological profiles Nala kept on her creations, she recalled how the clone who called himself Crosshair was a longer among his squad, rarely interacting with others, even on a mission, and often insulted others who he believed inferior to him. A shame he was a mere human, for he would fit in well with most Kaminoans and their elitist snobbery.
CT-1409, a later addition to the squad from amongst the regular GAR troopers, nicknamed Echo for his irritable habit of repeating orders to his squadmates. He was already a capable soldier, having been promoted to undergo ARC Trooper training midway through the war, only to be captured by the Techno Union a few months later and presumed dead by his brothers. Luckily for him, the Bad Batch uncovered evidence of his survival and launched a rescue mission, recovering him from Skako Minor and dealing a crippling blow to the CIS operations in one of their final Core World strongholds.
He afterwards joined the eccentric four-man squad, having been forcibly made more machine than man with extensive cybernetics. And with his new abilities, being able to use his servo arm to plug into and decipher virtually any enemy network, coupled with his already impressive skill set, made him a one-man infiltration team if so needed.
Lastly, the clone sergeant, the one man who was able to effectively command such an otherwise uncontrollable band of misfits, CT-9901, also known as Hunter. Blessed with mutations that enhanced his senses, allowing him to feel electromagnetic frequencies from anywhere on a planet and act as his squad's living holomap, combined with his innate tactical mind and brilliant leadership, he was unrivaled by all in the GAR Army but the best Clone Commandos and Jedi Masters.
Even more impressive for the five men was how they, over the course of the Clone War and their time as fugitives, learnt the most advanced forms to dozens of martial arts studies from across the galaxy. Whether it was Teräs Käsi, Sholân Kha, Changa bush fighting, or Echani, there was no art they wouldn't study if it meant getting another edge on their opponents and keeping their fellow soldiers alive throughout another battle.
And in just a meager five days, Nala would insert the newly improved control chips into each of her clones, and their Sith-induced failsafe would be embedded into their subconsciousness. Then, they could prepare for their deployment into the Jedi-dominated galaxy.
Striking at random with no discernable pattern, with their perfect record of assassination and sabotage, the current powers would be undermined and filled with fear until Lord Krayt and the One Sith had enough time to infiltrate each government and give his followers their second chance at galactic dominance.
Lastly, and most importantly for Nala, during the chaos her creations would generate, she and her students could use their promised wealth and power to start rebuilding their people's prosperity and prestige in the galactic underworld. It might be a small step down from their GAR-era reputation, but it would be more than enough to keep the Kaminoans afloat and flush with credits and clients after so many decades of obscurity and destitution, and that was all that mattered for the elder master cloner.
Shedu Maad
Jedi Temple
Within the Grand Master's Office
"You've certainly got plenty of guts, asking me and my crew for a favor like this." Grace sternly pointed out to Kyle and Jaden after the two Jedi laid out their request to the Paladin Lieutenant.
"We wouldn't be asking this of you if we believed you couldn't handle it, and if the situation wasn't this critical." Kyle calmly reminded her. "Our friends and allies are going to need all the help they can get, and you're in a prime position to deliver our reinforcements to this imminent battleground."
"And you think the rest of the galaxy will be as receptive as you all when the Zakuul sends more forces into the galaxy, especially after BAMR did a number on your reputation and credibility?" Grace contested. "Your detractors, even some among your order, will likely accuse you all of trying to make an even bigger power grab during this war, never mind the Galactic Senate's already crippled body by a handful of Sith collaborators.
"Look, I'm not disagreeing with your course of action, but I felt it prudent to warn you of its all but inevitable fallout so you can prepare a good defense." Grace placatingly concluded.
"Thank you for your consideration." Kyle gratefully thanked the young woman, eyes growing sharp as a new idea came to the Jedi Grand Master.
"Now that I think about it, if you want to give us more than excellent advice, perhaps you can help draft a statement or message for us. This way, we can assuage many of the citizens' fears if you and a few more Aquilians explain the situation."
"And since the Silentium and Chiss know about the reformations Zakuul has undergone, perhaps they will be willing to give accurate information on the planet's reorganization." Jaden quickly caught on. Knowing how Lando was had made progress in convincing the Silentium to aid in brokering a ceasefire between the Jedi and One Sith, and the Chiss were the most well-known and orderly people in the Unknown Regions, getting both their affirmation would ease most minds of the Aquilians' aid.
"What about Master Saa?" Grace reminded the two men. "If you admit how Edaan sent a Jedi Master from the Old Republic to help Zakuul prepare for war, then you'll open the door for a whole new army of critics and fearmongers."
"We can't plan for every scenario, much as many of us might wish differently. All we can do is respond accordingly and trust in the Force that a solution will arise." Jaden advised the young woman.
Pinching the brow of her nose, Grace pointed out, "Well, if you're going to put all your faith in a cosmic power, then my crew and I might as well work in the real world. We'll prepare to take your Jedi and friends to the coming war zone."
"Actually, there's one more thing." Jaden awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Colonel Wren and her people are ready to move on their home sector, and we've received word that the Protectors and the rest of our allies are preparing to make a series of raids on Lecersen's blockade.
"If you can drop her people and a few other allies a sector or two away from the blockade, it would be much appreciated."
"Sure, use us as your mobile teleporting service while breaking the barriers of time and space." Grace bitterly chuckled. "I'll need a few Jedi to help with the wormhole."
"I know we have at least a dozen of our order's best who are on standby and can help you with this endeavor." Kyle agreed, pulling out his personal holocomm. "I'll bring them up to speed and you'll be underway by dawn tomorrow."
Before he could dismiss anyone or make the necessary calls, Kyle saw the hologram of Taron burst through onto his holocomm, and the Dathomirian quickly began, "We have a new and critical development on Dathomir."
"The One Sith?" Kyle wearily guessed.
"Yes. They've agreed to meet with you and General Calrissian in ten days." Taron answered. Allowing a relieved smile to cross his face, he gratefully added, "Your old apprentice and Adari, they really came through for us out here."
"We'll give you a full report tomorrow morning, after we all get a healthy dose of sleep. We're all wiped from our travels, and Edaan needs a break from his training regimen. But suffice it to say that you'll soon see the battlefields dying down, and we'll soon have the leverage we'll need to form a new alliance."
Unable to form a coherent sentence, Kyle found his holocomm snatched away by Grace, and she glared at Taron, "You let Edaan come face-to-face with Darth Krayt?"
"As I said, Paladin Lieutenant Tirall, Grand Master Katarn will get a full report in twelve hours, and it'll answer all your questions. For now, I bid you a good night." Taron quickly answered before signing off.
Oh, this will be a busy and chaotic couple of weeks. Jaden griped.
Batuu
Within the Morandi Forests
Aboard the Quarren Eye
Voort could not help but laugh, a harsh sound to hear for everyone attending this conference, at the absurdity of the decrypted message the Clawdite shapeshifter Turman Durra let drift into the hands of the assembled leadership through the Resistance's sole remaining contact in the Black Spire Outpost.
Being a former actor and longstanding member of Wraith Squadron, Turman had helped the unofficial team uncover the motivations and weaknesses of many enemies throughout the duration of his time with them. His work was almost always spot on and could fool even seasoned Sith with enough information and time to get into the minds of their subordinates.
But never, in all his years as a soldier and team leader, did he ever imagine the polymorphous man to take such extreme initiative and infiltrate the Black Spire Ruins by impersonating one of Ordo Temal's top lieutenants and working to pave the way to an Alliance victory before passing along crucial information to Dok-Ondar and ensuring it would work its way to his friends and their newest allies.
If he wasn't prepared to give his subordinate and friend the most grueling and humiliating punishment he could think of when they extracted him, or just put him on the front lines more often to teach him to go off on his own so recklessly, whichever suited his fancy better. After he gave Turman his new punitive assignment, he would commend him for his ingenuity and personal growth.
Although, come to think of it, he should probably do the latter first before properly disciplining him, just to thank him for his work in saving many lives, civilian and allied, through his self-appointed mission, if only to preserve morale among the regular soldiers and his own squad.
"Voort, I fail to see what's so funny about this planetary apocalypse we're all facing." Cara impatiently pointed out. "Dician's holding the planet hostage with her defoliator bombs, each one has a reach of fifty kilometers, and she's about to make off with an army of lethal Esk-kha. And now, one of your own decided to enact a suicidal scheme without running it by any of us, but you decide to laugh at your friend's insanity?! Are you sure your old age isn't catching up with you, Piggy?"
"My mind is fine, Dune." Voort reassured everyone after he calmed himself down. "I'm just marveling at the opportunity Turman is giving us here. With the intel he's given us, we can make our move on Dician and her fleet by tomorrow morning. Then I can appropriately deal with my overzealous subordinate with a punishment he'll never forget."
"If she and the planet we're on are even still around by then." Azzim warned the Gamorrean. "We aren't exactly on a generous timetable here, and with Tonith's fleet defending their priority facilities, the numbers aren't exactly in our favor here."
"That's why we need to hit them hard and fast, before they have a chance to make their final move." Tiana advised everyone, pulling up a tactical hologram of the planet, plugging in Turman's pilfered information to pinpoint the fifty nuclear bombs scattered across the world's continents. "While our main force keeps the Sith pinned down, our strike teams can work on disarming every bomb we can. Turman gave us the schematics and codes to deactivate these bombs."
"I know of a few teams in mind that have a knack for hacking this kind of stuff." Din offered, starting a discussion with everyone offering resources and strategizing their new attack. When the next three hours concluded, they were ready to give orders to the rest of the troops, and then they would mobilize their fleet by early morning tomorrow.
The battle for Batuu was about to reach its climax, and it would be an explosive race to the finish.
Black Spire Ruins
Within the Sith Command Center
"Well?" Dician impatiently asked her elite acolytes, eager for any good news to lessen her rising stress.
"We, we regret to admit that we cannot locate Freja." Liara shamefully confessed. "She's disappeared from the base, and none of our servants can track him down. But that is not the worst of it."
"It seems Xasha committed one more act of treason before her capture, and this one might be the most devastating of all to our mission." Another Sith disciple added, handing Dician a datapad.
Scouring through the file's contents, Dician struggled to control her anger at seeing how far Xasha had outmaneuvered her. Not only did the onetime priest provide the Alliance with precise information on her fleet and operations, but she had also given the Jedi's allies the means to counter her scorched earth exit strategy for Batuu.
They were likely working to disarm her bombs throughout the planet as she stood here contemplating her situation, so it was only a matter of time before the Alliance attacked her ultimate stronghold with their combined strength. And that meant she had to take the initiative and salvage what she could from her falling headquarters.
Even worse, Xasha had embezzled at least fifty billion credits from the One Sith's legal accounts, transferring half of it in smaller sums to proxies across every sector, and the other half went somewhere in the Unknown Regions. Where it was, it was nowhere on any known charts, and along with the twenty-five billion credits, the schematics for all Rakata artifacts the Batuu team had uncovered and properly scanned.
It was time to leave this lost stronghold behind, but not before leaving a lasting message for the Jedi of the cost of such a "decisive victory." But before that could happen, Dician needed to find out who the traitress was working for, and how extensive her damage was to the One Sith. And she was low on time, so she had to resort to uglier methods to get the information she wanted.
Breathing out most of her anger and focusing her remaining rage, Dician calmly ordered her followers, "Prepare all essential personnel for a complete evacuation in the next six hours and enact the Final Protocol. Have all our still-functioning bombs throughout the southern hemisphere detonate in all vacant locations in six hours. They should provide an effective diversion for the enemy."
"Prepare the-" Liara caught herself, instead, knowing Dician was still suffering from losing her last apprentice to the Jedi, tried a more diplomatic approach, "My Lady, what of the remaining soldiers and your cult's remnants? Surely they can still prove useful in sowing chaos against Lord Krayt's enemies."
"They will be useful only as an effective diversion." Dician dismissed. "The cult is lost to us. Now we need to ensure the remaining arms and wealth, and the true prize this world has provided us, can be put to better use after we escape this doomed system. Then we can reevaluate our strategy accordingly."
Liara, knowing when her mistress decided something, there was little that could be done to dissuade her. Instead, she obeyed the Sith Lady and bowed, "Very well. We will send word right away."
"Good. Now, I believe we have a few thousand more carbonite prisoners to liberate and many ancient treasures to take for our master. Leave me now and finish overseeing these measures." Dician commanded her students, forcing them to leave the command center.
Hesitating, sensing the conflict in Liara's emotions, Dician firmly ordered her, "Stop." Turning to face her, she calmly explained, "I understand your reluctance, my friend. But you must grasp that the Freedom's Riches cult has been irrevocably compromised, and we cannot afford to let the organization regroup and return to whoever its true masters are."
"As for our wayward priestess, I am going to have a very brutal word with her, and I need you to lead the retreat in my absence. Whatever she has done, whichever power she serves, Lord Krayt must know of it. Beyond that, my life is meaningless if I can uncover the full scope of this betrayal."
"This new enemy, whoever they are, they have been pitting us against the Alliance of Light, keeping us blind to everything else that happens in the galaxy. And we don't know how many other traitors might be within our ranks, or what their ultimate plans are." Emphatically pointing a finger at Liara, Dician insisted, "Xasha Xizor, she is the key to all of this. And I intend to extract every crumb of information I can from her before she meets her well-deserved end."
"Let me help you." Liara suddenly urged. Before Dician could deny her, she pressed on, "This goes beyond a personal vendetta or spite. I… I suspect I know who she serves, and I can use that to give you an opening to break through her mental defenses."
"Liara…" Dician lowly hissed, electricity crackling off her fingertips. "What did you do?"
"I was given information on Xasha by a… third party, and that intelligence allowed me to incriminate and arrest her." Liara anxiously began. Quickly prostrating herself before her mistress, she begged, "I will confess everything to you and Lord Krayt the moment we withdraw, but the war we are about to enter, we cannot fight it alone."
"I swear on my life, I have not betrayed you and the One Sith. I did not ask for the burden I have been given, but you taught me to accept and make the most of the opportunities and burdens the Force gave me, and I have not strayed from your teachings."
Appraising Liara with more intensity and scrutiny than any other instance, Dician felt nothing but pure shame, loyalty, hate, and determination from her. A peculiar mix, but she knew she was short on time, and Xasha needed to be broken before the opportunity slipped away. If her acolyte was so willing to stake her life on this claim, then it would be on her to deliver the desired results.
"So be it." Dician reluctantly allowed. After Liara rose, she warned, "Remember, Liara, your life is now depending on the success of this interrogation. If you falter or fail, I will not hesitate to cut you down as well."
"I promise, Master, you will not be disappointed in me." Liara wholeheartedly vowed.
Falleen
Lajinda
Within the Rude Awakening
"You've reached out to all their relatives?" Jarael quietly inquired to Ben and Kix regarding Xule and the rest of the liberated children and their potential brainwashing or conversion by Phobar and his fellow torturers.
With the Alliance carefully evaluating each initiate's story, Haxim's people contacting their supposed family members, and fact-checking their information to try and find any contradictions, and their Jedi allies reading the subjects for any hint of a newfound dark allegiance, the investigation was bearing little fruit and corroborating with the children's claims.
It would seem they would be allowed to reintegrate within normal society and potentially join the Jedi within a handful of months, especially if the Order established an embassy on this world to help stabilize the nascent regime.
But the possibility of infiltration, a hard-earned lesson after the galaxy's experiences with unwilling spies from the Yuuzhan Vong, Abeloth, and countless other threats, and the Jedi having just purged its ranks of every Sith agent they could so far find, it could not be ruled out so simply. That was why Ben and the Rude Awakening's crew were working together to determine the validity of such a theory.
"As many as Tyria and I could find over the last week, yes." Ben nodded. "They all confirm the children's stories, and the timelines fit."
"And I ran every cranial scan I could think of, including the kind of conditioning the Kaminoans used on my GAR brothers, but nothing came up." Kix apprehensively added. "Do you think we're jumping at phantoms here? Maybe these kids are clean from any programming or Sith sorcery."
"I want to believe that, Kix, more than almost anything." Ben emphatically sighed, dashing the Clone Trooper's fragile hopes when he continued, "But we all know how most Sith will use any trick they can to win, and that includes manipulating and enslaving children to suit their ends.
"We have to be absolutely sure they're safe, for theirs and their family's good as much as everyone else's. Only then can they live their own lives, whether they're Jedi or whatever else they decide to become." Jarael insightfully added.
"Then why don't we just tell the kids what's going on?" Kix irritably pointed out. "We don't have to tell them everything, just explain we need to give them an examination by your healers to ensure Phobar didn't do any lasting damage to them. If nothing turns up, then we can release them just after we finish saving this world."
"We've been doing just that, but nothing's turned up. Not even in the Observatory's records." Ben patiently reminded the medic.
"But we have three able-bodied Sith defectors and the best slicers from across half the galaxy that can reconstruct the data. If they can't produce your desired results, then no one can." Kix countered.
Placing a hand to his chin, Ben appeared to strongly consider the idea. "It's worth a shot. But for obvious security reasons, Phasma and the others will have to be under heavy watch the whole time."
"Then we'd better make the necessary arrangements immediately, before we're all called away to handle Malleus and the last pockets of Redhan's dominion." Jarael nodded.
"Scuttlebutt says we'll be launching our final attack in a couple days or so." Kix piped up, worriedly adding. "Haxim's out for blood, but the last thing we should want is for him to turn out to be another fanatic like Krell."
Vividly remembering Pong Krell, a fallen Jedi Master and General from the Clone War, how the Besalisk was ousted as a Dark Acolyte agent in the weeks leading up to the Outer Rim Sieges, Kix felt feelings he had spent years trying to suppress and bury return to the surface.
While Krell was eventually killed by two Clone Trooper legions on the shadowy world of Umbara to prevent him from fully crossing over to Dooku's camp, Kix was exposed to the Jedi's fallibilities and found himself doubting much in his final months before his decades of imprisonment in stasis.
Forcibly shaking himself to banish those horrific memories from his mind, he looked at a concerned Ben and Jarael before he led the way out of the med bay, "Come on. We've got work to do if we're going to help those kids, and Ben here can pay his girlfriend another visit and offer her another healing session soon."
Within the City's Primary Infirmary Camp
Inside Vestara Khai's Subconsciousness
"I don't mean to be disrespectful, Kreia, but why are we going through a walk down all my memories?" Vestara cautiously asked the Force apparition as they walked through a chamber, one that showed each of Vestara's atrocious acts as a Sith in her thirty-two years of living.
"Because you need to come to terms with the sins of your past, in order to take control of your future and be with the one you love with all your heart." Kreia bluntly answered as they passed her remembrances of Telos IV. "Your guilt threatens to overwhelm you if you do not let go of the anguish you feel in your heart. That is exactly how Phobar and Ship want you to feel, for that train of thought will lead you back into the Dark Side and destroy you, once and for all."
"I suppose you have ample experience with that, since you tried to wipe out the Force and make us no better than the damned Vong." Vestara bitterly muttered, earning her a hard slap from the ghost, the force of the blow strong enough to leave a lasting mark as the living woman stared at Kreia with absolute shock, warring with the outrage at the spirit's act.
"I will not have you wallow in self-pity and doubt, not when there is so much more you could be doing to atone for your crimes and honor the trust and loyalty your lover and friends have placed in you. If I can overcome countless betrayals from the Jedi and Sith to take control of my own fate, even for a mad end, you can triumph over your own darkness." Kreia harshly admonished her, before she softened her gaze,
"It was love, a pure, limitless, honest, and selfless love, that was able to allow Meetra to reach me and let me make peace with the Force just before I faced death, just as Edaan did so for you when almost the entire galaxy was set on killing you or sending you further down the dark path you were on. And now, it will be just that kind of compassion and an even deeper love which will fully save you as well."
"The acts you have done, the darkness imprinted on you, will always be a part of you, but they do not have to define and control you. Even if you feel the weight of your sins crushing your being, your spirit can still soar high and be able to live another day."
"How?" Vestara whimpered. "I don't know how to do that on my own. And this darkness, how do I even escape that after everyone I betrayed, used, and ruined or killed?"
"The same way countless others have fought their way back from darkness and despair; Let others in so they can help you, just as Allana, Ben, and your sister are fighting tooth and nail to help you awaken from the Sith's dark influence. They can help you save your soul, even when you have reached your lowest point." Kreia patiently pointed out, with her incorporeal form beginning to fade away afterwards, much to Vestara's terror.
"Wait! Don't leave! I can't do this alone!" She desperately cried out.
"You are never alone, Vestara. You have the memory of all those who've been in your life, and the unconditional love of those who are with you now." Kreia almost soothingly consoled her, before she warned the living woman, "But you need to ask yourself this: will you allow others to help you lift the veil of darkness over your heart, or will you let this self-pity and self-loathing overtake you and let yourself forever wander in perdition?"
Fully vanishing, she quickly left Vestara with little time to contemplate her next move, before the dark apparitions would return, and the ultimate resolution she would soon make and determine the course of countless lives forever more.
(Tuesday, November 26, 2024, Addendum.) Hey, everyone! Bet you weren't expecting me to get this double update out so soon after my last post. Well, I didn't expect to either, but I felt it best to move the story along, especially since I finished the first draft of Chapter 47 a few hours ago. And I wanted to clarify a few things that you may be thinking, especially from this chapter and the many Disney Canon ideas I'm using from their continuity. Yes, I am using Clone Force 99, many races from the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, and the Aphra family. But I'm doing so on my terms, and I intend to make several major deviations from their Canon concepts. The ideas I have for them may be vastly different from what you're all used to, but I ask that you try and keep an open mind.
If anyone has respectful criticism or advice to give, I'll be more than willing to listen, but I will not accept trolls or hatemongers.
Now, I hope you all enjoy these two chapters, because I won't be releasing any more this month, and likely for at least a couple weeks. I have some possible refinements to consider for the next three chapters, and I want to get a couple more rewritten chapters complete before I advance any further. And with the Christmas season and the rest of the Winter Holidays coming up, I'll need to balance my time accordingly, especially with work about to kick into overdrive. So, I hope you all have a blessed night, and stay safe and free in these difficult times. May the Lord be with us all, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!