Star Wars CLOSED Star Wars: Episode V: Twilight of the Force II: A Father’s Fate

IC: Agate
Heading to the Rogue Shadow, Battle of Kashyyyk's end

The New Republic commodore nodded at Madelyn's idea, and Agate and the others aboard nuzzled the ship with the Rogue Shadow, and Huyang had them across soon enough, Mace ready to assist - and the Mandalorian ship arched forward, a flame, it's missiles activated -

Besieged, it's shields down and defences breached, the mighty Derriphan was nonetheless ready, and Pryde grinned maniacally as his fourteen year long revenge came to fruition -

"Sir! Look!"

His eyes ripped from the planet as the reactor aboard the Xyston-class Star Destroyer fired -

Madelyn's ship slammed into the gun -

The bolt from the Derriphan sliced through her Mandalorians, incinerated the advancing Wookiee forces, as well as Joren Sole -

And then the Star Destroyer exploded, and the bolt withered away as it's source became a fireball -

The droid fleet was damaged by the shock, already scattered and shot-up by the Hapans and survivors of the Third Fleet, and it seemed to writhe as if an injured animal, rushing through the Hapan lines without any thought for its defence. In that moment more Eternal battlecruisers were destroyed than in the entire battle, but even then, thousands of the vessels escaped, vanishing into hyperspace.

It was over.

The recovery had to happen, and the Song of War, the Hapan flagship, summoned the command staff to the hangar for recovery. All manner of motley ship and survivor headed to the planet to release its contents, and the larger capital ships became repair docks and makeshift triage vessels. The fleet did not win so much collectively exhale and collapse.

In short order, Madelyn, Windu, Huyang, the injured commodore Agate and Astarta, the Hapan military leader, all stood around a swiftly setup circular holo-table, in a briefing moment that would remind the Korunnai Jedi Master of the meeting he had held with Yoda, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ki-Adi Mundi, Aayla, Depa and Ahsoka all those years ago as Kenobi headed into combat with Greivous.

They were reaching out for Coruscant -

And a report that a Death Star had appeared in orbit.

And another report that the Mandalorian's had attacked Entralla...

TAG: @BobaMatt, @TheSilentInfluence (please see below)
---
IC: Boba Fett
Norin meeting room, Coruscant

As Tor stepped over and gave a stim to the aide, Winter, the bounty hunter Fett spent the moment trying to ascertain whether the youngster had done so out of charity, or indeed out of a way to twist Norin up. The Senator of Nubia growled; looking down at the woman, who was still unconscious.

"Aryan is at the Indigo Tower," Norin snapped. "I'll arrange you a speeder - an unmarked one, at that. He's with his other Centrist and Imperial allies."

Ike tapped his chin. "And the others present?"

"I don't care," Norin said. "But do whatever you need to do to complete the bounty. I want him dead."

Fett stared at Tor. "This entire bounty, it stinks. We have to keep our word," he said through their comms, "and our contract, but that doesn't mean we take open-ended political hits without renegotiating our fee. Call her to the Senate building, and we'll have a chat. She's a Hero of the last war; the Chancellor will let her through, no doubt of that."

Ike nudged Fett, and eyed the man standing silently in the corner - Del. His face was rigid, and Ike held out a hand, choking the man with the Force. "Do we trust this one?"

Norin snorted. "Del is my man. He's been running our little side business for months."

"Ah yes," Ike said, drily, releasing the bodyguard. "You got the delivery on Mustafar?"

"I did," Norin said, cagily, in-front of the two bounty hunters. "I don't understand how you arranged the delivery."

"Simple," Ike smiled. "I'm not from this reality either." His eyes narrowed and peered at Winter. "She's not dead, maybe I'll use the Force to keep her alive, if she's that important; maybe even do some judicious wiping of that little mind of hers?"

Norin paused. There had been that strange moment in their private room... was Nola loyal? He'd always imagined her connection to Del was the one weakness in his setup, and while he had these hunters here...

"We'll need to make it look plausible," he said to reticent hunters. "Smash up the place as you go; head to my private landing zone." Norin eyed the jetpack on Fett's back. "I'm sure you can use that to get to Indigo Tower."

It of course played perfectly into what Ka'rta had asked of her daughter - to meet her.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422
---
IC: Grand Admiral Thrawn
Aboard the Death Star Prototype

The Fleet Admiral cried out before Qwi compelled him to go, and Rax's eyes went glassy and he headed off. Thrawn watched in absent fascination, and looked to Piett. "Follow him; we don't have much time."

He eyed the Omwati, and Beaumont. He seemed in shock, and Thrawn looked to him. "There's a medpac aboard my shuttle; we need a stim." Beaumont, eyes brimming with unshed tears, nodded, a chop-like, rushed motion, and he scrambled to head to the ramp. In a moment he was present, pushing the needle into the her neck - carefully - and the adrenaline would wake her in a flash - and awaken her to a bruised, battered, and indeed exhausted body, even through the drugs.

Thrawn had pulled out a comlink, standing a respectful distance from Qwi, keyed to the New Republic channel, and he heard Ka'rta's message. "Very good," he said to himself, and, a moment later, the Death Star Prototype silenced itself - it had worked. A moment later, the shaking of the fire of the New Republic fleet stopped - their sensors had seen as much too.

"It's over, then," Thrawn said, anti-climatic, but satisfied. "Ka'rta has the data I requested of him, and would leverage for medical care - I imagine that the Chancellor will agree to that."

"The threat is undone, and it would seem appropriate that you and I have a chat with the Chancellor, no?" Thrawn keyed his comlink to the Chancellor's Office.

---
Mandalorian stand-off, in orbit

The Osik rushed forward, of course, and there was a brief moment of discord with the New Republic before Kre'frey came across the channel lamely requesting Ka'rta to hold position, and keyed her through to the Chancellor's Office. He did however authorise the Redemption to head towards the Mandalorian flotilla, under the guns of the Home One. In a flash of pseudo-motion, more warships piled in-system - Raddus and the other half of the First Fleet, staring at a Death Star that was pliant, and quiet.

It was a strange sight - and the old Admiral simply shook his head and asked to be patched through to the Chancellor.

---
Chancellor's Office

The Death Star shut down, and Isolder could hardly believe his eyes or ears, the report interrupting what Triebakk had to say.

"We need to get a team aboard that thing," he said, still shocked. "Another team - a bigger one, even."

Triebakk looked to him. Another team? They had known of this station?

"It's a very long story involving ancient technology, the threatened destruction of several worlds, and Darth Zorn."

Then the various reports came in; Thrawn had Qwi Xux on the line for them, and Piett and Beaumont Kin, too, from the Death Star, which was now pliant. Jyn was there too, and had stunned Rax unconscious and taped his mouth, hands and feet for good measure. Kre'frey had Ka'rta on the line, fresh from Entralla, and having Intel to share, and Raddus was in-system as well.

"I am willing to exchange information for this aid…My forces are not here to fight you, but we will if you make us, think carefully before opening fire."

Leverage was a thing, and Ka'rta's message made it across, though a concession had been made to their allies - the word of her attack on Entralla had not spread through the establishment, and the Redemption was sent on the basis there had been confusion, not an assault.

Had they known about Entralla, perhaps there would have been a on-going brawl, who knows.

As Ka'rta was escorted to the planet by E-wings, and her flotilla surrounded by twenty Star Destroyers and Star Cruisers - supporting her single battleship - the Death Star stood there, as a new and incredible moon, and there were reports - less panicked ones, as the minutes rolled by, of the prototype, especially when it rotated its dish away from Coruscant.

But there was no word from Kashyyyk, yet.

Not yet.

No, wait, there was -

A communique from Kashyyyk -

In short order they all stood before each other.

Chancellor Feyna Organa, Prince Isolder, Senator Triebakk of Kashyyyk, Mandalore's Madelyn Linnett and Ka'rta, Hapan General Astarta, New Republic Commodore Agate, Jedi Master Mace Windu, Grand Admirals Thrawn and Piett, Jyn Erso, Death Star designer and former war criminal Qwi Xux, and of course Beaumont Kin, young archaeologist.

All the pieces of the puzzle were in this discussion.

TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @JediMasterAnne, @galactic-vagabond422, @TheSilentInfluence, @BobaMatt, (single posts only, for the moment, I will update as much as you write)

TAG: @HanSolo29 (to continue) in the Indigo Tower

TAG: @HanSolo29, @JediMasterAnne (Nola and Arek combo to continue) in the Private Suite of the Nubian Quarter

TAG: @QueenSabe7 (continue our mad mad mad combo)

 

IC: Darth Zorn
Raging, Exegol, in the depths of the Unknown Regions

The rage of the Dark Lord of the Sith consumed the surface of Exegol. Within the monolith, Sith statues that had stood for millennia were torn apart; ancient spirits that snarled and sniped at Zorn were erased; Sith Eternal acolytes were thrown up in the storm of his anger, ripped to shreds and battered to death.

He stood on his Sith throne, and glowered at them all.

The Battle of Kashyyyk was a disaster.

The planet lived.

His son was missing.

His father still had to emerge from his exile to stop him.

The galaxy was opposing him...

... it had to be ruined, to force his father to come out of exile and stop him.

He would not fail.

But they couldn't reach him here on Exegol, even if they knew the name of his world.

The wayfinder in his possession, it was paired, yes, but the other had never been found, and he'd had fourteen years and near-infinite resources to use to find it. Usurped had the throne of Palpatine been, and his cloning experiments ended here and on Byss and Wayland - no matter how often the acolytes here attempted to restart the project when they thought him distracted.

Zorn leered upon them, and he gestured, sending his mind through the technology present, as the thousands of Eternal battlecruisers made their way back, their droid-wills enslaved to his Sith Eternal Throne, and the tens of thousands of Xyston-class Star Destroyers that were ready and readied.

With that technology he reached the waypoint of Esfandia and attached himself to the HoloNet.

The signal was completely untraceable.

They knew not where he was; they knew not what he had; they only had fear, and their data from his thwarted assault.

He would tell them.

People of the galaxy.

It is I, Darth Zorn.

The HoloNet showed his Sith armada, framed in the storms of Exegol.



Your Chancellor has hidden the truth of my return from you, so I will tell you of it.

My weapons had struck at Mandalore and Kashyyyk.

Millions are dead; my tests are complete.

My technology, it was used, abused, and consumed Metellos; billions died.

I send you an image of what I have.

Of what I shall unleash.

Tens of thousands of planet-killers, constructed by Palpatine, and who I killed; for you.

Like I slew Emperor Amedda.

Like I murdered Darth Maul.

I am your savoir, but no more.

Unless the galaxy hands to me Anakin Skywalker in sixteen hours.

TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @JediMasterAnne, @galactic-vagabond422, @TheSilentInfluence, @BobaMatt

This starts off your meeting as Qwi, Feyna, Ka'rta, Madelyn, and Mace.

TAG: @HanSolo29, @QueenSabe7, @darthbernael, @darthhelinith (for your information only at this stage)

 

IC: Narrator
The Maw, Deep Zone Two, aboard the Supremacy

The moments turned with incredible pace.

In a few seconds, there were two casualties.

Ood Bnar was dead; so was Abeloth.

They teetered, and fell, and Vhardia would be abruptly yanked from her mindscape to the moment at hand, the pain that rose in her a mirror to that Helinith had recently felt too.

There was a reeling pain in Bernael, as the death - both deaths, for something had happened to Abeloth in the Beyond Shadows - slammed into him, punching his bond with him. In that moment, the Eye wheeled upon him, manacling his power for the moment.

Kyle was overwhelmed by Leia's joy, and held her close, until he realised what they had lost. He looked pained, and there was a flicker to him that he instantly suppressed. A kinship between him and Bernael, almost.

Renn would have the death of the Jedi Grandmaster on his conscience - the reaction of Vhardia to it all -

But Bernael could feel in his mind, that his connection to the darkness at the very heart of the Maw was unabated.

He had triggered something truly monstrous - he had opened a Door to the Dark, and there was a cacophony of alarms through the Supremacy.

MASSIVE GRAVITY SHIFT IN THE MAW. REPEAT. MAW GRAVITY INTENSIFYING. BLACK HOLE STABILITY COMING TO AN END.

BB-8 whistled a panicked update; that the various black-holes that made up the Maw Cluster were increasing their exceeding delicate gravitic balance - and the entire cluster was about to crush them all. Shara came too, awoken by the alarm, and looked at Ood, at Abeloth, whose decapitated visage returned to that of the long-dead Jori Atreus -

They had minutes to escape; their final confrontation had been well and truly interrupted.

The Eye chuckled to itself, a clearly intelligent and treacherous individual at the heart of much more than it claimed to be.

A ship in the shape of an oversized eye, veined and with immense, web-like steering vanes, rushed out of the Maw.

TAG: @darthbernael, @TheSilentInfluence, @darthhelinith, @TheAdmiral (mentioned as your body is no longer being rented by a Chaos Goddess in this AU), @QueenSabe7 (updated TAG, but not for responding to)

 

OOC: All movements of Vhardia approved by @darthhelinith

IC Renn
Grief and Escape

Renn had felt it, felt that something was going to happen but he wasn’t prepared for the violence of it. In one instance the second dark presence ceased harming Vhardia, ceased their attack on Leia, ceased being. The sudden decrease in her presence, however, did nothing to cause a decline in the dark energy swirling around.

He heard his ‘Twin’s’ voice and turned his head. A howl erupted at seeing Ood’s head in the creature’s hand. He’d felt that the fellow Neti had set himself upon a fool’s errand but the depth his foe had taken it to shocked even him. And then the second shock set in….Ood was, had been, the only other living Neti he knew of. He...was….alone.

The ship rocked, breaking him from his grief for a moment and he felt it. Something had happened to the Maw, had broken the locks on it, he felt. And then the alarms from the ship and from the little droid seemed to confirm it. They had to get out of here, and fast. An almost growl erupted from his throat, he’d have to settle with his ‘Twin’ later.

Turning back to the tableau before him he could feel grief even more intense than his radiating off of Vhardia. Trying to find the peace and calm the Light radiated inside him he set aside his own grief for now, as best he could. Moving over to her, ”Vhardia...we have to go. Ood deserves a better funeral than being left on a rock about to be sucked into any one of several black holes.”

She didn’t seem to be listening, seemed to be lost in the grief and need to do right by the Grandmaster. He admired how she tried to lift Ood and carry him but she’d never be able to do so on her own, or in any time that would let her survive as well.

Taking her in one arm, cradling her close, even as she sobbed and hit him to get back to Ood, he reached around the body of his old friend, lifting it gently as well. His burning eyes met Shara’s, ”Get the ship started, I will get him secured but I’m not leaving her alone right now.”

Step by slow step, he walked toward their ship, keeping his senses out for his foe even still, in case he had to defend Vhardia or Ood’s body, or the others. Eventually they made it inside, where he laid Ood on a bed in one cabin, before moving to the main cabin, sitting on one of the benches, cradling Vhardia loosely in his arms, should she want to be let go of, as they waited for Shara to find a way, any way out of here.

And only then did he allow his own grief to wash over him.

TAGS: @darthhelinith, @Sinrebirth, @TheSilentInfluence

 

OOC: Double Post approved by GM

IC Bernael
Loss and Departure

Bernael roared, power flaring, as he felt the death of Abeloth and, even more, the death of their offspring. He began to stalk toward the Jedi. And then….

And then he felt his power muffled, felt an odd connection. The first brought out another roar, internally, that he and the Eye would have ‘words’ when the time allowed. The second gave him pause, ’Why that Jedi, what have we in common?’ His deep, black eyes skewered Katarn, saber raised, igniting, pointed at the man.

”One day...one day you and I Will speak.” he warned.

Laughing at the young human Jedi and the Neti, watching their ‘moment’ as it were, He crooked a finger. Abeloth’s body floated to him, hovering at his side. His head cocked to the side for a moment, a smile forming on his lips.

”The Maw is open, Darkness spills forth, and now...it eats itself. Flee if you can. Although...only the tree and the male human needs to survive. I have further business with those two.”

He turned and, at another gesture, the scream of metal sounded. His Fury, ripped open as Abeloth made her way toward the Jedi earlier, knit back together. In mere moments it stood whole and unbroken before him. The Supremacy rocked as the black holes devoured space around them. Making his way across the rubble strewn hangar, he chuckled and threw out a wave of Force at the landing struts of both the freighter and the ship the other two Jedi had arrived in, intending to disable the craft to a degree, and make their departure that much harder.

As he stalked toward the landing ramp his mind gathered up all the shreds and fragments of both Abeloth and then proto offspring, binding them to him, keeping them from fully slipping away. Even should her primary essence be gone, he’d find a body the remnants could grow in and be reborn. And, if any of the cells of that offspring were still viable, they could be nurtured in a tank, but that was for later.

He boarded, dropping the body in the medbay, giving the doctor droid there it’s instructions. As he left he saw the limp form secured in a tube, ready to be harvested and safe for transport. His mind reached out, to the Eye, ’Who, what are you? And why have you chosen to interfere with me completely fulfilling my task?’

He let the thought stew as he entered the bridge. He could see the Neti carrying the human woman and the corpse of Ood Bnar toward their ship and he chuckled, such attachment would be the downfall of his Twin. But he would remember the face, the essence, of the Jedi woman, she seemed important to his Twin, which could be a further key to his battle against the Light.

A command to the pilot AI and the Fury lifted, turning toward the exit to the hangar. As the ship cleared the hangar, he pressed the firing stud and a brace of torpedoes leaped out, bracketing the hangar entrance. He desired that his Twin and that one with the odd connection survive but he was not going to make it easy or simple for them.

Now in open space, he heard the message broadcast by Zorn. A deep chuckle echoed around the bridge as he thought for a moment. Stalking to the main holo table, he opened a program, ”Trace that signal back to source.”

Moments passed as he waited, until a chime told him they’d found the source. Not one he could or would, at this time, be able to navigate to, but he could reply. ”Bounce the reply off of dozens of stations to destroy the backtrail.” Seconds passed, “Relay ready, Master.”

He pressed the transmit button, ”You sound desperate, godling, to claim victory for a battle all already know you did not fight. One day you’ll be worth more than a simple message, perhaps even a thought, but that day is not today.”

Releasing the stud, he felt, heard the engines spool up and the Fury leaped into hyper.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @darthhelinith, @TheSilentInfluence

 

Mini-Update as the conversation in the Chancellor's office needs a lot of NPC involvement!

IC: Thrawn
Chancellor's Office

His red eyes took in the room's other occupants as Isolder stepped out to briefly put the galaxy on hiatus.

Mace Windu, Madelyn Linnett, Ka'rta, Feyna Organa.

Each heroes of the last war; the one he had missed.

He turned back to the Chancellor after Qwi spoke.

"Admiral, anything you can tell us about Exegol?"

Thrawn refocused upon the Chancellor. "I know nothing of an Exegol, and though there may be a connection between Fleet Admiral Rax and our late Chancellor, which itself may connect us to Zorn, I do not believe we have time for a speculative deployment, unless we intend to divide our limited forces." He regarded Raddus. "I have my six Imperial Star Destroyers holding above N'Zoth, the source of the military raids on Metellos and also an abortive one on Fresia - though the Yevetha are not responsible for the destruction that befell the populace of Metellos. I would dedicate them to stopping Lord Zorn, and to New Republic command."

He eyed Ka'rta as if he suspected the woman had more to add.

Triebakk rumbled an enquiry as to whether war criminals and unrepentant Imperials were now to be included in the New Republic.

Admiral Piett looked inclined to comment, but an eye swivel of Raddus eye caused him to stop.

Isolder's comments were strung across the background of their conversation.

Citizens of Coruscant and the New Republic. I speak on behalf of the Chancellor, who is in the middle of engaging the crisis involving Darth Zorn with the Admiralty and leaders of the Senate. Please be rest assured that the Death Star prototype in orbit above Coruscant is under our control, in cooperation with the Imperial Remnant and New Republic Intelligence. We shall shortly be providing context to the words of Darth Zorn, and would reassure you that we have a galactic response planned. No one man can threaten the galaxy - our galaxy - the galaxy which fought off Emperor Amedda fourteen years ago - and expect us to comply. We do not negotiate with terrorists, Sith or otherwise.

For the part of Mace and Madelyn however, they would feel the Force surge with announcement; Ood Bnar was dead.

The Jedi were again bereft of a Grandmaster.

And they had no idea where the last Chosen One was.

On the Death Star, Beaumont aided Qwi with medical care, quietly doing so as the transmission continued. Jyn for her part tied up Rax again and again and again. The echo resonated with Qwi, restoring her slowly but surely. Her part was, in many ways, done, and Beaumont was eager to be able to step back. Indeed, he was conscious that Grand Admiral Thrawn had a vested interested in the Omwati, and surely they had done enough?

He eyed the black coat, and the wayfinder, and wondered, trying to catch her eye.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 (first, please), @JediMasterAnne, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @BobaMatt, @TheSilentInfluence
---
IC: The Eye
Hyperspace, Transit

The words of Bernael - not Darth Bernael, not here - would eventually reach the ears of Zorn, truly, but whether he would respond, or care... it was less than clear.

The Eye seemed amused as the Anzati swept his beloveds' body away, aboard the Fury. Headless, it was already degrading without her power to sustain it, a dead body a very long time ago. The corpse was cooling slowly but surely, and examination would reveal that there was no cellular difference between the body and the hours-old fetus. Its spark seemed weak, albeit stronger than the dying skin surrounding it.

For a moment, the Eye projected itself into Bernael's mind.

It was a Black-Coat.

But... it seemed shorter than the one which he had seen in his flow-walking with Abeloth.

On his waist hung a lightsaber, and he shrugged.



"I think it's time we had a real chat."

TAG: @darthbernael (combo)
---
IC: Shara Dameron
Aboard the Otana, Maw, formerly, Supremacy, hangar

The Supremacy rocked as a plague of black-holes advanced upon the First Order fleet, shredding a Star Destroyer as if a piece of errant flimsi. The abandoned TIEs were sucked up, gobbled greedily. The hangar rocked with explosions, and Shara winced. The fleeing Fury had wrecked the edge of the bay, and debris crashed down and speared Katarn's ship.

He stuck out his tongue in annoyance, biting it for a moment, and then turned, ushering Leia up the ramp of the Otana, following the somber procession of Renn and Vhardia carrying the body of the Jedi Grandmaster. The Anzati had swept away Abeloth's dead form, and Kyle managed a stoic expression to it all. BB-8 keened loudly, saddened, devastated, even, notwithstanding his own miraculous survival.

There was a wave of explosions, and Shara tapped the comms.

"I need a Jedi who can fly through black-holes, please," she sounded desperate, and was struggling with lifting the ship up in the chaos, damaged as it was. They still had repulsor-lifts, after all.

Kyle looked into the void, and seemed to decide something. He handed his lightsaber to Vhardia, having used her for the fight, and sketched a salute at Leia.

"Look after my crystal, Padawan."

He dropped the ramp - leapt out, shoved it up with the Force.

And pushed them out of the Supremacy with the Force, leaving himself behind.

TAG: @darthhelinith, @TheSilentInfluence, @darthbernael (updated TAG)

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 (outstanding Tor)

TAG: @HanSolo29, @JediMasterAnne (continue combo)

TAG: @HanSolo29 (continue combo)

TAG: @QueenSabe7 (continue combo)

 

OOC: This is a standard post as most of us are in combos or have notified me via DRL that they will be replying later.

I will update next Tuesday now, but continue to respond to outstanding combos and posts.

@TheSilentInfluence, @darthbernael, @HanSolo29, @JediMasterAnne, @darthhelinith, @galactic-vagabond422, @BobaMatt, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @QueenSabe7

 

IC Bernael and the Eye, with @Sinrebirth
The Eye and the Dark God

Bernael felt a tug in his mind. As the Fury travelled, he closed his eyes and let himself sink into his mind. As he opened his eyes onto that plane, he saw the usual landscape but then a figure began to hove into view. His anger began to surge as he saw it was a black coated figure. As it fully was enfleshed, he noticed the shorter stature, and the Forcesaber at its belt.

"I think it's time we had a real chat."

And then the realization hit him, who it was……

He had to keep his mental self from surging forward, sure the Watcher would have prepared his own defenses, but his figure blazed with dark power, ”YOU!!!!” he almost growled the scream of the word.

The sound buffeted the cloak, but did not reveal his face.

"Me, me, me," he said, idly.

"Took you a while to catch on, didn't it?" He scooped the Forcesaber from it's clasp, regarding it. "It's a shame it's not the real one..."

"... not back where it belongs, sadly," a wryness sounded to his voice.

"You definitely stopped Watching a few millennia back, didn't you? And now? Well, now, you're a mess."

There was dry amusement to his voice. "What would the Master think of you?"

Bernael chuckled, a dark, harsh sound, eyes still blazing Darkness as he gazed at the Watcher, ”Knowing the Master and what he truly wanted, he would be pleased to see me as I am.”

He circled the Watcher, continuing, ”The old me, I had no choice but to intervene, the Master’s plans threatened, more and more often, to unravel the galaxy, idiot that I was I opposed them.”

Returning to face the cloaked one, ”But the Change happened, I set foot on the path to what I am becoming. So you tell me Watcher, are you such a fool as to think this isn’t one of the ways he hoped his plans would turn out?”

"The question is, my good friend, didn't you believe, in your heart of hearts, that the Master was a bad person? That he was tampering with things he should not? Was it love that saw you and the others serve him for as long as you did?"

He leered, leaning forward, hands enfolded.

"Or was it... dare I say it, your own dark desires to dominate all of existence? To profess Balance, but in-fact speak only in the subtle undertones of Control?"

There was a soft chuckle.

A growl met the comment then Bernael paused, standing almost statue still. ”Your Master set up my Master and I meeting. He knew what potential outcomes there could be, including this one. And until interference occurred and the Change, I suppressed my own inner Darkness, for the good of the galaxy.”

He stepped closer, the scentless scent of his opponent filling his senses, his own will rising up as he knew the Watchers stood resolute against his. ”Your Master wished the End of Time, the end of all, and I, and what I carry of my Master, finally agree with him. You should have seen this outcome coming, Watcher.”

A shrug. "I think we all did, and that's why it didn't go as... expected? I daren't say as planned."

"Perhaps the First Class, it was a test-run. It's the first time the Gods of the Force intervened in the affairs of mortals, after all... and the Last Class, well, we all know how that went..."

A shrug. "We both watched, and intervened, as necessary, didn't we?"

Bernael’s shrug was more him rolling his shoulders, as though loosening them. ”None of your Master’s classes turned out as he had stated they would, perhaps by design. After all he did sabotage the First Class from the start, turning them against themselves.”

“And...as planned? As you lot planned or as He planned? After all, before recent events, my job was to ensure his plans were disrupted just enough. So yes I did watch and intervene, even when others objected to such intervention.”

His shoulders rolled once more, ”But I doubt you got my attention to discuss history, or I you. Why the intervention now, when I can complete the plan?”

"Because it's not as simple as that anymore." There was a sigh. "You must have realised it; the 'traitor with the red flame'. Their role, it's ever shifting, like a propagating virus in the code. Unless we come to terms with that, then we won't see the future."

His voice sounded almost pleading. "Surely you've noticed?"

Bernael sighed, the Eye was revealing it’s desires, finally. ”Of course I’ve noticed, but you and the Mask before, seemed intent on showing me different paths. A time will come where we must deal with them, their legacy. And that time is rapidly approaching.”

His mental image wiped a hand over his face, ”I’m not as insane as I let on, to everyone, calculation is involved. Such as letting the Yevethans be massacred, they were a stepping stone to reenter the galactic stage, but their fanaticism had become a weight, keeping things from being advanced. And their demise gives the impression of a loss of my power, a helpful facade.”

"True, but you'll need to replenish your numbers... the First Order would have been a superior replacement, but it's gone now." There was a pause. "You want to face Renn again yes? As your reflection... your echo?"

"You'll need to follow the New Republic fleet when it marches on Zorn... another wound in the Force that needs rebalancing."

Another pause. "I could show the way, if you want... and perhaps you could earn our True Name, after all."

Bernael’s black eyes regarded the Watcher closely, ”No more throttling my power, I know how to hide my essence and power, I’ve spent the better part of three millennia doing so after all.”

The cold smile returned to his face, ”Agree to that, and I will let you guide me that way.”

A tap on his chin, and the Eye paused. "Well, let's say yes, shall we?"

"I'll let you be, and you can be," the cloaked man seemed to smile. "But I wonder if you intend to track down Abeloth first..."

Bernael let his thoughts bring up an image of the medbay, the doctor going about his tasks, as he’d been ordered.

A smile, of sorts, crossed his face as the image faded once more, ”Her spirit has fled, except a small essence. But tell me, would she go chasing after me, should I have died, or would she have moved on to some other poor sucker? She will have to be accounted for eventually, but unless she returns of her own accord, I will proceed as needed.”

A different twist to his mouth formed as he felt the Eye keep its word, but he kept his and kept the sense of it reined in, and undetectable by others.

"She would have moved on," the Eye said, with ease. "Of course."

"So you too, should move on, no?" A tap, tap, tap of his chin. "Coruscant, then? To follow the heroes?"

Bernael smiled, the same dark twisted one of a moment before. ”The essence I recovered of hers will prove useful, at some point but yes it is time to move on. Shadowing the heroes, allowing their forces to deplete themselves and Zorn’s, while causing unknown mayhem, seems appropriate, at the moment.”

"Then let us go, my old friend."

At that, he came to aboard the Fury, sitting at a quiet hyperspace juncture in the middle of nowhere.

Bernael opened his eyes, blacker than the deepest void of space now, stood and made his way to the bridge. ”Engage stealth, set course for Coruscant, jump, and keep us off the sensors of the fleet gathering there.” he ordered the pilot AI. Sitting in the command chair, as the orders were followed, he contemplated the recent conversation, even as the stars turned to streaks as the ship entered hyper.

TAG: @Sinrebirth, those at and around Coruscant

 

The following is a combo with Sinrebirth:

IC: Senator Aryan Graul and the Centrists
The Indigo Tower, Coruscant

The Force was a constant presence, a needling sensation at the back of Aryan’s mind that was impossible to ignore. He wouldn’t necessarily call it overwhelming, but it was intrusive enough to become a distraction. While he was careful to not let it reflect in his demeanor, he still had a difficult time finding his focus. He merely went through the motions, offering the usual smile and nod, as he entered the Indigo Tower and mingled with Treen’s Centrist compatriots.

But despite his efforts to carry on, even between all the accolades and praise from Treen herself, the Force continued to press upon him with its influence. He remembered the first stirrings during his earlier conversation with Arb. The clarity of the incident had been so intense that it was impossible not to draw a correlation between the words the man had shared and the Force’s abrupt awakening. It had ultimately reached its climax when they had arrived at their destination and the strange man had uttered a single phrase:

May the Force be with you Sistros.

Of course, it was possible that he was only referring to the Holocron, which was safely tucked within Aryan’s suit jacket, but it had felt more profound than that. That one simple name had produced a tremor that traveled down to his very soul, igniting an internal fire that set every nerve-ending in his body on edge.

The experience was almost ethereal, like a cherished dream rising back to the surface after being lost to the toils of reality. He tried to latch onto that small parcel, visualizing it as a tangible line that he could grasp and pull back to his physical self, but the exertion seemed to trigger unwanted side effects, illusions…hallucinations?

The Senator heard a strange metallic clanking, similar to a droid skittering across a highly-polished surface. He was ready to dismiss it as one of the servers passing by to deliver drinks until he witnessed a peculiar sight – the Holocron, the same one that Arb had tried to palm off him, had sprouted legs and scurried across the banquet table under its own volition!

It appeared to pause briefly in its circuit, long enough to ‘stare’ in Aryan’s direction, before concealing itself among the various appetizers and side dishes.

Aryan blinked and issued a quiet scoff.

How did––?!

When?!

Unfortunately, he would not have the opportunity to uncover the truth. The Force rippled once more with a distinct warning, shaking him out of his stupor.

While a wide array of distractions had plagued the meeting so far, nothing compared to what happened next. Things quickly escalated from mundane to galaxy-shattering as the skeletal shell of a Death Star appeared on Coruscant’s eastern horizon.

A Death Star.

As the mechanical behemoth eclipsed the sun and cast a wide shadow across the industrialized landscape, the world became very still. It was as if the entire population of the planet had taken a collective breath to stare into the void that awaited them. Did they have minutes or mere seconds to live?

For Aryan, he only stared at the monstrosity, a wry grin tugging at the corner of his mouth in defiance. In a sense, he found it ironic that things could end this way – the Republic had wrongfully accused him of sparking the last war with a Death Star, and now he would go out under that same power. It was almost poetic; justice served. Maybe those who had targeted him could bask in the glory of their victory in the final moments that remained. They were all going to the same place, after all.

And that’s why he was not about to stand down or panic in the face of his impending death. He was going to make the most of it.

Using the cover of the chaos that erupted around the restaurant, Aryan sidled up against the table and discreetly ushered the wayward Holocron into his possession. As he slipped it into his left jacket pocket, noting that it was not a hallucination, he impressed his will upon it in silent warning, Not so fast, my friend. If we’re going to die, I might as well take this gamble. There’s still time to explain yourself.

It was hard to tell how long he was with the Holocron or whether time had passed at all, but before he received an answer, the holovid in the corner of the room stopped spewing static to broadcast a message from the Chancellor’s office:

Citizens of Coruscant and the New Republic. I speak on behalf of the Chancellor, who is in the middle of engaging the crisis involving Darth Zorn with the Admiralty and leaders of the Senate. Please be rest assured that the Death Star prototype in orbit above Coruscant is under our control, in cooperation with the Imperial Remnant and New Republic Intelligence. We shall shortly be providing context to the words of Darth Zorn, and would reassure you that we have a galactic response planned. No one man can threaten the galaxy - our galaxy - the galaxy which fought off Emperor Amedda fourteen years ago - and expect us to comply. We do not negotiate with terrorists, Sith or otherwise.

The Senator scowled at the visage of Prince Isolder as the man smiled for his captive audience before bowing out of the shot. He knew that it was probably intended for reassurance, though Aryan only saw selfish indifference behind that practiced countenance. It would be the downfall of such a petulant fool.

Nevertheless, he had delivered the news that everyone had wanted to hear – they had neutralized the threat. However, it wasn’t in the manner in which he had suspected. The Death Star was now under Republic control? The man had potentially made a crucial mistake.

After shifting the newly-acquired Holocron to better conceal it, the Senator lifted a brow and sought out Treen with an impish smirk. “Well, that couldn’t have gone better,” he murmured dryly. “I take it that you were unaware of this little stunt?”

Treen was looking at a holoprojector of her own; the reason that Isolder had addressed the galaxy.

People of the galaxy.

It is I, Darth Zorn.

The HoloNet showed his Sith armada, framed in the storms of Exegol.



Your Chancellor has hidden the truth of my return from you, so I will tell you of it.

My weapons struck at Mandalore and Kashyyyk.

Millions are dead; my tests are complete.

My technology, it was used, abused, and consumed Metellos; billions died.

I send you an image of what I have.

Of what I shall unleash.

Tens of thousands of planet-killers, constructed by Palpatine, another who I killed; for you.

Like I slew Emperor Amedda.

Like I murdered Darth Maul.

I am your savior, but no more.

Unless the galaxy hands to me Anakin Skywalker in sixteen hours.

The Kuati Senator looked at Aryan, and then at the others in the room. The others smiled, and each reached a glass to toast with it. They were enjoying the moment of their victory.

"To the Final Order, to Emperor Graul, to Lord Zorn!"

They were all in on it.

All of them.

The jubilant chant echoed across the chamber, reaching a triumphant crescendo that caused a mild ringing in Aryan’s ears. It was so concentrated that it appeared to permeate the very currents of the Force itself. And yet, all he could do was observe the proceedings in silence, his expression an emotionless mask despite the shock and awe he felt over this revelation.

For at this moment, he could not dismiss the vision he had experienced the night before – the one that depicted thousands of Star Destroyers rising from the surface of a ravaged planet amidst a violent maelstrom. And that singular voice from the Shadow Man: The End of Time approaches from the Unknown... as it always does.

It was coming to pass.

Or was it?

Sistros had warned him about half-truths, that the Shadow Man from Ach-to could not be trusted. The strange specter purposely spoke in riddles to confuse and deceive. Was this an example of his subterfuge? This could be his destiny, a means to finally uplift the Empire from the ashes and restore peace and order to the galaxy. It was all right here for the taking; an opportunity that he would be foolish to refuse.

Even the shadow of Darth Zorn looming over him from above did not seem so daunting, not in the same way that Ananke had dominated his actions fourteen-years ago. Aryan had grown a lot since then, both in mind and spirit...and in the Force. He had survived his fall from grace, learned from it, and had clawed his way back to redeem himself. That was a rarity in the world of politics, and if anything could be said about him, he deserved to reclaim his power.

And with Captain Shevu and the New Republic fading away into the distance, what did he have to hold him back from embracing his destiny?

The full scope of this moment made him feel…alive. He was no longer impeded by his past transgressions; this was the path forward.

And so, Aryan Graul once again followed Sistros’ advice and purged the Shadow Man’s words from his mind. He then lifted his glass to join the celebration, his eyes flashing with the appreciation of a comprehensive plan coming to fruition.

“To a vibrant and prosperous future!”

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Anakin Skywalker
Dagobah - with special thanks to @QueenSabe7, who played Qi'ra Ananke while I briefly NPC'd Han Solo -

- all of a sudden Ananke was standing in a swamp, and Han Solo stood before her. “Qi’ra,” he breathed. “What are you doing here...?”

Memories named the world as Dagobah.

"Han?" Ananke exclaimed, forgetting herself for a moment. Her mind sought to make sense of the disorienting change in scenery, only knowing that the creature had somehow managed to force her way into her mind just a second ago. She had felt the foreign presence press in on her mental walls, bleeding out into every crack and nook in hopes of finding a hole. And Abeloth had found one, apparently.

It had been so sudden, so immediate that the cloaked man's voice still echoed in her ears - In this reality - the Truth is that you will destroy it all.

She took a few steps back, her boots making odd slurping noises in the wet mud beneath them. The air had a distinct smell to it, of sodden earth and something rotten. Trees surrounded her on all sides, hanging with moss that nearly covered their trunks. Dagobah.

"How... why... Why are you here?" A question for the version of Han Solo that was impossibly standing before her, as much as for herself."I'm on Dagobah - tracking down, well, someone." He had a blaster in his hand, she would see, but he wasn't pointing it anywhere in particularly. "Someone important." He looked warily at her, trying to search out the woman he had once loved. "Where have you been, Qi'ra? I've..." He swallowed. "I've heard some pretty bad things."

Peripherally, she might be aware of the Master struggling not to be eaten alive, but she was here and he was there, and this moment between Han and Qi'ra had been a long time coming.

"I..." His eyes lowered a little. "Chewbacca died; Lando too. During the war, y'know?"

Her eyes leveled upon the man she had cared for, in a different life. When she had still been a slave in one form or another, remembering their grand escape plans, their dreams of a life together, free... Ananke's mouth flashed a wistful smile and she shook her head.

Delusions. That's all they were. A way of coping, a way of hoping for something better than what life had repeatedly handed her. Until, of course, she had taken control of her situation.

"Qi'ra is not a name I use anymore, and I think you know that," she calmly chided, knowing this was a game and nothing real. But also knowing how Abeloth was assaulting the cloaked man, just beyond the veil of the vision she currently inhabited, she would have to play it out. "I'm also certain you know the 'bad things' you say you have heard are true."

Ananke settled, arms crossing over her chest. "As to the Wookiee, and Calrissian... war always claims many casualties, Han."

"They do," Han said, drily. "Orphan, remember? The Clone Wars did a number on us, and looks like the Galactic Civil War did on us, too."

"Makes you wonder why I'm putting my nose into this new mess, don't it?" Han sounded amused, smiling slightly, almost whimsically to himself. "Zorn ate Mandalore, maybe Metellos, too, and he sicced a fleet on Kashyyyk. Dunno if you're keeping up with events, or, y'know, care about any of that."

"Do you ever think of me? Of us?" Han asked, plainly as ever, changing gears immediately to see if he would get an honest answer if he surprised her. He hooked his thumb into his belt, as he was want to do, and lightly peered around, as if he was indeed looking for someone in this swamp. "Or is it all about being 'Ananke' nowadays?"

Abeloth had the Black-Coat fully ensnared, a tentacle being shoved down his throat, and Braata softened, her emotions turning to fear, and worry - despair, even.

Ananke couldn't help another smile as she watched his body move through those familiar mannerisms, though sadness colored it into an almost-grimace. This side of her - the Qi'ra side - had been beaten down so far for so long that it had been practically nonexistent for many years. Yet, here it was again, so suddenly, so strong...

No.

"No," she echoed aloud, in response to Han's query. Her features smoothed out into a passive mask and she began to step forward, her feet surprisingly steady as they trudged through the thick, muddy ground. "I used to think of you often, and smile," she continued, recalling a distant memory, words spoken between them once before. "But not anymore."

Coming to a stop, maybe an arm's length from her former lover, her fingers grabbed the hilt of the Dagger of Mortis as she looked up into his eyes. The fact that she could always get lost in their depths flitted through her mind like a minor annoyance, replaced by a vivid flash of the yellowing eyes of her one-time Master - Maul. Of all she had endured at his hands, it had erased what she had been before so that she could become what she was now. Abeloth presenting her with this trip down memory lane may have been meant as a distraction, but she would not fall for it. Not when she was so close to the end.

Instead, she switched her focus inward on the Man in Black, and how close he was to being torn apart by the dark witch.

"You were always a means to an end, Han." The dagger was at her side, held firmly in her right hand. "Even now."

Taking one final breath to look upon his face, one that Abeloth had conjured, Ananke thrust her weapon forward in a blur. She aimed to impale the focal point of this mind trap, and dissolve it so she could finish what she had started.

As all this occurred, she managed to whisper, "I'm sorry."

Han Solo, on Dagobah half a galaxy away, looked alarmed as Qi'ra - as Ananke - went for him, but the blade did not connect with him, no. It merely seperated their connection, and Han was in-fact fine, if not surprised. There was a noise though, back on Dagobah.

"What are you doing here," came a nonplussed voice.

The voice of Anakin Skywalker.

TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox as our new Han Solo! insert fanfare
---
IC: Zorn
Addressing his Cabal, Exegol

The man formerly known as Luke Skywalker, and even more recently known as Darth Zorn, was now just Zorn.

He was no Skywalker; no Sith.

He was power, and that did not have family, nor religion.

Gods didn't have either.

He accepted reports from his minions, from the surviving One Sith.

Darth Tempara had usually dealt with this, or Pryde, but both were dead and now he needed to waste his time with such things.

He needed a new handle... a new pivot, so he might rule in absentia, focusing upon his revenge.

Inevitably, even after he annihilated the New Republic fleets, as well as their Remnant, Chiss and Hapan allies, there would still be the dreary task of subjugation, and as much as he could destroy a world with a Xyston-class, there would be much he still had to enforce.

Luckily, one of his salient plans had bore fruit.

The appearance of a Death Star at Coruscant meant the second Wayfinder remained aloof; he knew the Force would pass it to the heroes... much as he knew that Moff Eccressys had inevitably confessed to where Kuat-Entralla had been sending their constructed vessels. Between the two pieces of information, Chancellor Feyna would know.

Good.

But thereafter...

He had no interest in rule, and had cultivated loyalists among the galactic government merely as a precursor to someone else doing so for him.

That someone was Aryan Graul.

His Emperor-to-be.

Wyyrlok's choice as patsy would become reality, and Zorn was content with that twist of a lie into a truth.

He knew all about lies.

He opened the channel, and his sickly pale and yellow eyed visage regarded the Indigo Tower restaurant, and his gathered Senators. He had rarely addressed Treen, the titular head of the conspiracy, let alone the others. He twisted his face into an approximation of Luke Skywalker's, forcing colour back into his cheeks.

"My friends," he said, glacially calm even as the sun set in the distance. "I am happy to see that you have gathered to toast our victory. With the inevitable surrender of the galaxy to my rule, I shall be looking forward to distributing it to you so I may focus upon my true work of destroying our enemies. The treacherous Imperial Remnant, the Hapan swine, and this farce of peace called the New Republic; all will be replaced by a government of your design, enforced by my Fist. I shall need an Eternal Emperor to rule in my stead." He shook his head slowly. "I need you, Aryan Graul."

"That you can touch the Force, that you know yourself, have ruled, been burned by the do-gooders and traitors of this galaxy, it has merely been training for right now; you have been forged into the true ruler of the Sith Eternal Empire..." His power touched Aryan, crossing the galactic distance.

"You shall take a new name, and cut yourself loose from any of the trappings of family and morality that once plagued you."

The galaxy needs you, my friend. It needs peace, and only through ruthlessness can it finally be born. Palpatine had it right, you and I both know it, but he cared more about personal aggrandizement than making a Change.

His voice had reached into Aryan's mind.

I just need to know the name of the new Emperor, so I may carve it into the graveyards of the worlds I shall transform accordingly.

"Speak it," he said aloud, for the benefit of the other Eternal Imperials present.

TAG: @HanSolo29
---
IC: Ike Sera
Norin's Office, Senate tower, as the dusk draws in

Fett peered at Tor, and they peered at each other. It was pretty obvious they were discussing something, and Ike could only catch the edge of it. Norin glanced at Ike, and then gestured vaguely. "The landing pad is that way, if you require it."

Of course, Ka'rta was on her way, and Boba Fett quickly caught up on her, calling up data and the news with a blink of his eye upon his HUD. "Mandalore of Death Watch, the woman who sacked Entralla," he said, softly, whistling. "We'd best not miss our appointment." He regarded Norin stonily and strode out of the room where Winter lay.

Indeed, as the Osik headed down, the escorts became E-wings, that guided her to the Senate landing platform. There was uncertainty within the pilots, as if they had no idea how to treat Ka'rta. But she'd said her bit, connected the dots between Exegol and Zorn, and the present-day Heroes could deal with it.

Norin for his part began to frown that he hadn't seen Nola, and he eyed her partner. Del remained neutral, and Norin was disinclined to ask about it in-front of Ike, who seemed particularly bemused by the dramatics of it all. "You're not thinking of backing out of our deal are you, Senator?"

"Not at all," barked Norin. "But you can't expect me to be happy that the bounty hunters I hired are right here, let alone my Black Sun business partner." He glared. "I thought you were on Nouane?"

"I was chased off by the New Republic, hunting my personal stock of war criminals," Ike said drily. "So now I'm here to try my hand at Senate intrigue. So should I head to Aryan now, kill him myself, and take that fee?"

His eyes glittered malevolently.

Norin's glare didn't lessen. He was becoming suspicious of Nola's absence, and there was really only one place she could be.

With Arek.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 x2 (open a PM and I will NPC Boba?), @HanSolo29, @JediMasterAnne (combo ends this week, please)
---
IC: Beaumont Kin
Aboard the Death Star Prototype, Coruscant system

Thrawn let them go, actually. He watched them sign-off, their opinion taken on-board, but the Grand Admiral knew that it was more important to deal with Zorn than the Yuuzhan Vong, right now. But he needed Qwi, and he would be sure to pursue her to the end of the galaxy.

His crimson eyes followed Beaumont as he and her headed to their yacht, and headed off, even as more New Republic shuttles arrived to take command of the prototype. Beaumont was surprised to see no pursuit, and even Jyn sketched a salute at them before smacking Rax again for good measure. The Fleet Admiral was particularly unconscious, but it was nothing he did not deserve.

Beaumont was shaking for a time, stressed. "Are we doing the right thing, getting out of here?"

He frowned into the traffic of arriving New Republic and Hapan warships - with Remnant ones too... and a steadily increasing stream of civilian ships lifting up from Coruscant...

"Where will we go?"

TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox (combo)
---
IC: Firmus Piett
Meeting, midnight, local time

The Imperial Head of State had called in what ships he had spare to Coruscant, as much as Isolder had done so also while he was out the room. Raddus had ducked out of the meeting a few times to order the Second, Third and Fourth Fleets to Coruscant, putting the Fifth Fleet on high alert on the border between the Known and Unknown.

Huyang piloted Mace and Madelyn and Agate to Coruscant, keeping the channel open should their input be required. The death of Ood Bnar would have reached them by now, especially Mace. But they had their target - the threat in the Unknown Regions; at Exegol.

Zorn and his Sith Eternal fleet.

More and more forces were gathered, and it was all at the command of one woman.

Chancellor Feyna Organa, the New Republic leader.

Hundreds of capital ships, thousands of smaller escorts, and nearly a million fighter craft.

A force as large as the one she had let to destroy the Ultimate Weapon, fourteen years ago.

The discussion cut down to Thrawn, Piett, Isolder, Raddus and of course Mace, Madelyn and Agate.

Thrawn cut his eyes to the Jedi and Mandalorians. "Now that the location of Zorn is settled," he managed to say without directly address the absences of Qwi and Ka'rta, "we will need a spear-tip against the Sith aspect of the enemy. Fleet resources will be insufficient alone. Can we rely upon the Jedi to face down Zorn?"

"And who should command this multi-nation force that we have gathered?" Thrawn peered at the other military men. "We need a clear chain-of-command, if we are to be effective."

"I will be present at the battle," Piett said. "Aboard the Avenger."

"And I will be aboard the Home One," said Raddus, gurgling.

"I will be taking command of the Song of War," Isolder added, looking at Feyna. "While I was out the room; the Hapan monarch suggested in quite explicit terms that I not deploy Hapan fleet assets unless I am in command of them." Which meant Ta'a Chume had thrown all of her toys out of the pram, as they had worried she might.

"I will of course be aboard the Chimaera, but that side-steps my question." Thrawn peered at Feyna. "Well?"

TAG: @JediMasterAnne, @BobaMatt, @TheSilentInfluence
---
IC: The Eye
In High Orbit

The Fury of course decanted shortly after setting off for Coruscant. There was not much to add, but the Eye allowed Bernael access to other information that it had declined to share at Metellos. His power, while formidable, had been enhanced by the Mask, the Eye, and also a treasure trove of Eternal technology beneath the surface of Metellos. The Sith Eternal cultists - the Prophets - they had been there to prime it, as they had on the other worlds their terror attacks had visited nearly three days ago.

The Eye knew this because the Iokath worshippers, much like the Yuuzhan Vong, had worshipped the Six Old Ones, and had even fought in the Twilight Wars of many millennia ago. "This interconnectivity will be key to the entire defeat of the Sith, of course."

As the Fury settled, more and more New Republic, Imperial and Hapan ships arrived, gathering into an armada. The Eye politely filled him in to most of them. The Chimaera, flagship of the Empire of the Hand; the Avenger, of the Imperial Remnant; the Song of War, from Hapes; the Home One, so named for the old Rebel/Republic flagship.

"About now," the Eye continued on. "The galaxy will know where Zorn hides, and an inevitable political cabal will rise up to support him, as it always does." He paused. "Similarly, the next stage of the conflict will be set, as these great arcs always come in three-parts," the Eye added wryly. "Exegol will be revealed when the fleet jumps, of course..."

He pointed to a ship that left the Death Star prototype; the one bearing Qwi and Beaumont. "But not that one, clearly."

Generally he took into his mental gaze the rest of the civilian ships fleeing from Coruscant. "So too begins the great exodus; no Coruscanti wants to be present when the Sith Eternal armada comes here, as inevitably as possible."

There was a shudder in the Force, and the Eye peered. "But there's also someone who shouldn't be here... and doesn't have a Black-Coat to hide it." He chuckled drily. "That's never good."

The Eye turned slightly. "Lots going on here, and now. Zorn is a threat, sure, but the next stage will be set soon enough..."

A black-Sith ship decanted; the Rogue Shadow, aboard it the burning power of Mace Windu and also Madelyn Linnett.

"Oh, oh, oh. Best hide away; a Jedi Grandmaster is here... and he has been Mortis... definitely a game changer!"

The Eye was almost omniscient, it would seem... or perhaps simply more well educated...

TAG: @darthbernael
---
IC: Shara Dameron
Yavin 4, Otana

The Jedi team that had infiltrated the Maw and lost the Grandmaster in a rescue mission... it had not succeeded insofar as much as it had failed. Shara spent the tip back consoling Leia for the loss of her Master, as much as Renn did Vhardia. Thankfully, BB-8 was up for piloting, even while a bit sombre.

They had a body to deliver.

The Yavin 4 praxeum was, however, mostly abandoned by the time they arrived. The only Jedi on-world, a young Knight named Kyp Durron, looked at the ship as it landed, his eyes watering as he saw them. He was in his early twenties, and only a Jedi for the last three years when the spice markets of Kessel were overturned by the Jedi Order on behalf of the New Republic.

He gestured with the Force, drifting the covered Neti down and into the Grand Temple, where it had been decided remotely with the other Masters that he would be left until he became one with the Force, or the ritual cremation began. Kyp slowly explained what had happened since they'd left. "Most of the Jedi have been sent across the New Republic to hunt down Yuuzhan Vong infiltrators. We've discovered a few, and managed to keep their existence out of the HoloNews."

"But this message came in while you were away, too," Kyp held out the holoproj and played the galactic message from Darth Zorn.

"He's back," Kyp said, swallowing. "His fleet attacked Kashyyyk, and his weapons devastated Metellos and Mandalore, apparently." Kyp's statement about Metellos would run counter to Bernael's assertions, which Renn may recall, or he may not.

"Us four are the only Jedi that aren't scattered across the galaxy," Kyp said, unhappily. "I reckon we'll be called up to help, but for now -" His voice caught as he remembered their loss. "You can rest, of course."

Leia would of course think of her mother, last seen at Mandalore, and Shara knew about it so immediately checked the news. "Your mother is safe, from what I can tell, Leia," Shara quickly added. "Theres a rumour that she and a Master Mace Windu worked with the other Mandalorian refugees to destroy Zorn's superweapon and saved Kashyyyk." She allowed some warmth she didn't really feel to enter her face. "I even have a report from the refugee net at Mandalorian that they have restored communications. You have some messages waiting for you, I gather."

Shara didn't mention the reports about Ka'rta, having sacked Entralla.

She didn't need to know it.

Kyp swallowed, looking to Vhardia, as the senior Jedi here - he wasn't sure about Renn and how he fit into the greater Order, save for him being a Neti, of course - and asked her what he had to. "What do you want to do?"

TAG: @darthbernael, @darthhelinith, @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC Renn
Jedi Temple, Yavin 4

After the sleepover, before they arrived, Renn went to the bay where Ood’s body had been reverently laid. He stood over his old friend for a moment before settling to his knees carefully so as not to rock the freighter. Closing his eyes, he placed a hand on Ood’s chest, tears falling.

Moments passed and then a keening, almost chanting tongue sounded from his mouth, ”I galaxui continues but cín galad has passed bo, iar mellon. Im must afad- i lond im gar- been peni- but im ceri- iest im could gar- had cín council longer. With what im am hi cín Jedi will n- looking na nin na assist, na tegi- i galad but im ceri- ú- know if ben how im tur-. Nin mind keeps going back na mín vedui anand mín traveled go-, before i destruction -o Ryyk a how such would help ammen all hi a hi. Im will beri- cín Jedi a ceri- nin all na lain cín mán uin mind -o i foul Anzati. Otherwise cin a will n- companions ad-, in another té, a all will n- lost.”*

He stayed bowed over the body for a few moments longer, then raised his head, determination in his eyes. Turning, he departed the bay and returned to the others. When they landed he kept an eye on the young Jedi that moved Ood’s body, on the off chance that there was a problem and sighed when it was laid in repose.

He stood somewhat near Vhardia as the man spoke about current affairs of the Jedi. And snorted but held his tongue for the remainder of the briefing, at the mention of Metellos. Her emotions were almost visible in the Force, the strength of them. And he moved closer, not touching but letting his solid presence be there near her. He nodded when she dismissed Shara, this was a time when people who could be with their families should, should hold tight to one another in this time.

"You've got a difficult path ahead of you, it's not easy to use a borrowed-"

He tilted his head as a devious looking smile spread across her face.

"You know, traditionally, as part of old Jedi training, younglings would go on pilgrimage to Ilum to find their lightsaber crystals. It's a dwarf planet, aligned to the light side of the force, one of a few." When that smile turned his way an eyebrow went up. "Maybe we can kill two womp-rats with one blaster bolt."

”Hmmmm,” he hummed, ”a nexus of the Light, that may be a very good idea. Ilum, I know the name of the planet, know that in ancient days there were temples there, but not sure what is there in this time.”

He thought about it and it seemed there was a possibility such a place could provide some answers to what could help him as he went to face his Twin again, face and prevail. Nodding, ”If it can assist me reach the levels I need to reach, and help Leia, then I am all for it.”

Turning to the young male Jedi, ”Before you go on Vhardia’s errand, I do not know where you will be sent young Jedi, after this, but if you are faced with a black eyed Anzati, one that feels like a pit of darkness, run. Please just run, don’t face him. He’s the one that did that to Ood and he’s the one that destroyed Metellos, ate its population, not Zorn. He is the Dark incarnate.”

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @darthhelinith, @TheSilentInfluence

*The galaxy continues but your light has passed on, old friend. I must follow the path I have been set but I do wish I could have had your council longer. With what I am now your Jedi will be looking to me to assist, to lead the Light but I do not know if or how I can. My mind keeps going back to our last time we traveled together, before the destruction of Ryyk and how such would help us all here and now. I will protect your Jedi and do my all to free your spirit from the mind of that foul Anzati. Otherwise you and will be companions again, in another way, and all will be lost.