Location: Chandrila

Date: 5 ABY

The Aegis, attached to the 3rd Eye of Sion, tore through the clouds over Chandrila, descending swiftly as it approached the New Jedi Temple. After only a few weeks away on their mission through the Hellhoop, the return of Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Shin Hati, was met with both curiosity and concern. Inside the ship, five massive containers filled with swirling, ethereal energy glowed faintly, the lights reflecting off the ship's metallic walls. The leader of these energies, Wutzek, resided now within Baylan, an arrangement Baylan had become increasingly familiar with. The strange being of pure Force energy was more than just a presence—Wutzek had become a part of him, a relationship both symbiotic and precarious, but undeniably powerful.

As the ships touched down in the hangar of the New Jedi Temple, Shin Hati stood by Baylan's side. Her eyes shifted nervously. She had grown uncomfortable around her master lately, ever since his "rebirth" through Wutzek. His presence, once solid and reliable, now felt dark, shifting, and strange, as if he was no longer entirely himself.

"They'll know something's wrong the second we step out of this ship," she said, glancing at him.

Baylan offered her a small smile, his voice calm. "Let them know. They'll understand soon enough."

Shin didn't respond, her focus turning to the descending shuttle ramp. As it lowered with a hiss, she stepped forward, the cool air of Chandrila rushing in. The hangar was busy as usual, but the presence of several of the temple's key members, all waiting for them, made the atmosphere more tense. Barriss Offee stood at the forefront, accompanied by Lyn, Mill Alibeth, and Vivert Stag. Sabine Wren was there too, though she hung back, arms crossed, observing with a silent wariness.

"Greetings," Baylan began, his voice carrying confidently through the hangar. "I have returned much ahead of schedule. I've found an anomaly within the Hellhoop. A power so great, beyond our comprehension. I'm confident it will assist us in the impending conflict."

Barriss, acting as the de facto head in Luke Skywalker's absence, narrowed her eyes. "An anomaly? I feel waves of darkness from you… and that ship." Her tone was neutral but cautious, a clear sign of the disturbance she felt through the Force.

Behind Baylan, the ramp of the medium-sized craft lowered, revealing several troopers unloading the cargo—five large, transparent containers. Inside, swirling forms of gas moved, each a different color, but all radiating a strange energy. Like Wutzek, but distinct, they pulsed with life and Force energy. Wutzek, still residing within Baylan, remained connected to these other entities, his consciousness gently soothing them as they awaited their next move.

"Do not worry, ladies," Baylan said, his tone smooth, almost casual. "We shall analyze these pure, gaseous forms of Force energy and see how they might be of use in the coming conflict."

The words hung in the air for a moment. Vivert Stag, her face a mask of frustration and disbelief, was the first to break the silence.

"This is unacceptable! How can you just bring them to a core world without warning us?" Her voice carried an edge of anxiety, frustration, and anger.

Baylan didn't flinch, meeting her gaze calmly. "Stag, we should not take the impending threat lightly. The tactics we'll need in the upcoming war cannot be won by traditional means. This enemy—the Yuuzhan Vong—doesn't seek control. They seek the complete annihilation of our economic system, our way of life."

Mill Alibeth, standing nearby, glanced at the containers, her face betraying both fascination and concern. "This gas entity… are one of them inside your body?" she asked, her voice quiet, yet firm.

Baylan nodded slightly, his gaze unwavering. "Indeed. We have an interesting dynamic so far. I've promised Wutzek—" he gestured slightly to himself, acknowledging the entity within—"eventual freedom for him and his fellow beings, in exchange for their assistance in this war."

Lyn, standing beside Mill, crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "Why should we study them if you can already communicate with one of them?"

"I was planning to ask that some of them be taken to Dathomir," Baylan replied smoothly. "To my former associates. The Great Mothers, Morgan Elsbeth—they can build rapport with these forces. Learn to mutually benefit from each other. Perhaps they can gain powers we can barely comprehend or even wield."

Baylan's gaze turned to Mill, a knowing glint in his eye. "Jedi Alibeth, permission to do so?"

Mill hesitated, her loyalty to her Dathomiri blood pulling her in one direction, her Jedi training in another. The Great Mothers, Merrin, Elsbeth—they would undoubtedly have to align with the Republic against the Yuuzhan Vong. Reluctantly, but decisively, she nodded.

"Permission granted."

Baylan's lips curled into a slight smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Good. We'll discuss the details soon enough. For now, we'll store these gas giants in the secured lower levels of the temple—plenty of space there, away from prying eyes. We'll keep them safe until we decide which ones to transfer to the Great Mothers."

As the troops began to move the containers to their new holding place, Sabine Wren remained mostly silent, watching the exchange with growing unease. This was far beyond her area of expertise, and though she didn't understand the deeper intricacies of the Force, she could feel the tension in the air. She'd grown used to these kinds of conflicts—situations where she didn't always understand what was happening but trusted the Jedi to handle it.

Still, something about Baylan's presence felt… off. That much even she could sense.

"You're helping with the younglings, yes?" Baylan asked suddenly, his gaze shifting toward her. "Ygnacio and Grogu?"

Sabine blinked, caught slightly off guard but nodded quickly. "Yeah, I can handle it. With Shin back, we can share the load. Ben and Jacen will return soon enough."

Baylan's attention flickered to Shin, who had been standing quietly beside him. She remained stoic, but the tension in her body was palpable. She still trusted her master, but the unease was growing. His connection to Wutzek had changed him. She didn't know how much, but it was enough to make her question things she once took for granted.

As Baylan turned to follow the troopers escorting the containers to the lower levels, Sabine caught a fleeting glimpse of a different Baylan—one haunted, perhaps even tormented by whatever deal he had made with Wutzek.

Sabine stayed behind, watching the proceedings quietly. When the others had moved on, she turned to Shin.

"You think they'll actually use those things?" she asked, her voice low.

Shin shrugged, her expression neutral. "I don't know. But my master seems to think they'll need every weapon they can get. And if this helps end the war…"

Sabine didn't respond, her eyes distant. Her attitude changes, smirking slightly, nudging Shin. "Come on, let's go check on the younglings. You've been gone long enough. Grogu's probably missed you."

For the first time that day, Shin allowed herself a small smile. "Yeah… maybe."

As they walked back to the younglings' quarters, Sabine felt the weight of the unknown hanging over them all. Whatever was coming, the Jedi—and the galaxy—were going to face something far darker than they ever imagined.

XX

Aboard the Aegis, just above the surface of Chandrila, Rae Sloane's captain stood with crisp posture, delivering the latest report to the Grand Admiral, his tone measured and precise.

"We've captured a significant amount of supplies from the pirates, Grand Admiral," the captain began. "Within the stash located at the dome base on Sotor Belt, we discovered a supply of Cortosis."

Grand Admiral Sloane's brown eyes flicked up from the datapad in front of him, an eyebrow raised in mild interest. "Cortosis, you say?"

"Yes, Grand Admiral," the captain continued. "According to Baylan Skoll, it has the ability to disable lightsabers upon contact."

The Grand Admiral leaned back slightly in her chair, fingers steepled thoughtfully. "Interesting…" Her voice was calm, almost calculating. "A well-known deterrent against Force users. But the critical question is—can it be effective against the threat that both Thrawn and Jedi Skoll keep warning us about?"

The captain hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "It's hard to say. As useful as Cortosis is against Jedi, we don't have any concrete information on how it might fare against this... unfamiliar enemy. Baylan Skoll seems confident that any non-traditional weapons will be critical, but there's still much we don't know about what we're up against."

The Grand Admiral gave a small, measured nod. "Indeed, the unknown remains the most dangerous element in any conflict. Cortosis might be a valuable asset, but until we have more intelligence, it is merely a piece in a much larger puzzle." He paused, her sharp gaze settling on the captain. "What's the status of our surveillance and reconnaissance efforts?"

"We're still gathering intel, sir. The Jedi and their allies have proven elusive, but we expect to receive a full report soon on their findings from the other Galaxy. In the meantime, we're maintaining a cautious distance, awaiting further instructions from both Grand Admiral Thrawn and Jedi Skoll."

Sloane's lips twitched slightly in what might have been a faint smile of approval. "Very well. We will wait and see how this unfolds. For now, prepare the Cortosis for analysis and potential deployment. We may need every advantage we can get in the days to come."

The captain saluted crisply. "Understood, Grand Admiral."

As the captain exited the room, the Grand Admiral returned her focus to the datapad, her mind already calculating the next steps. Despite the ambiguity surrounding the enemy, she was certain of one thing—preparedness was key. Whether it was Cortosis, ancient Force energies, or other strategic resources, they would need every tool at their disposal to face whatever was coming. Until more information was available, the wait-and-see attitude would have to suffice.