CHAPTER EIGHT
"I apologize for not contacting you earlier, Master Baran," Kro Sadoon said as he and the Grand Master strolled through one of the many hallways of the Jedi Temple on Ossus. "Master Gaaraddik and I had conducted a thorough, almost planet-wide search for the Glorians on Dantooine once we had departed from Anakin and the others."
Xanus Baran nodded. "Yes, it is good that you did not take any chances. Putting together Master Katarn's report on his mission to Mannan along with the incident at Christophsis, we have a very large and possibly widespread threat at hand."
"Indeed." The Kel Dor Jedi stopped and looked around the corridor they were in, as if making sure they were alone, before saying, "There's something else I should tell you. On Dantooine, when we first encountered the Glorians, we also met a mysterious, Force-sensitive man who I do not believe was a Jedi. He called himself the Revanchist."
Baran raised an eyebrow. "As in the Revanchists who fought in the Mandalorian Wars?"
Sadoon nodded. "Not only that, but he wore armor almost identical to that worn by Darth Revan himself."
The Grand Master's eyes widened. "Really? Perhaps he was a fanatic. According to the archives, it is rumored that there was a Sith sect worshiping Revan during the Cold War."
"I highly doubt that he was a fanatic. He seemed far too skilled to be a mere follower." Sadoon looked around again and then said, in a quieter tone, "You may not believe this, but I have a feeling that this Revanchist person...may be in fact Toah Jarsan."
Baran's expression became a mix of intrigue and disbelief. "What makes you think that?"
"Well, shortly before he left nearly ten years ago, Toah revealed that he was the time-displaced son of Revan. And since this man was wearing armor similar to Revan's, and was present on Toah's homeworld of Dantooine..."
"But it doesn't make sense," Baran said. "Why didn't Toah return to Coruscant or Ossus to warn us? Why did he simply act...vague in the messages he sent?"
Sadoon shrugged. "I am not sure. Then again, maybe the Revanchist isn't Toah. Maybe he was telling the truth when he said Toah died on Dromund Kaas."
"Yes, Master Katarn told of that tidbit. But even that I find hard to believe."
"I agree." The Kel Dor sighed. "If only the Revanchist would contact us and give us the answers we desire."
"Perhaps he already has," Baran said as the two Jedi resumed their walk. "We simply aren't looking in the right places."
* * *
"This is the most boring planet in the galaxy," Sanso Shu moaned, not for the first time today. The Zelosian spun in his chair, a habit which he had become fond of but his teammates were irritated by, due to the squeaky sound it made whenever it was moved.
"Seriously, of all of the planets in this sector, why Abraxas? Why not Kaal? At least that world has some great views!"
"But then you would get distracted from your work," noted the Dressellian Samakalii, who rarely ever spoke unless spoken to, or unless he thought he had a few words of advice. "And you know how much Commander Drokk hates it when you don't fulfill your duties."
Sanso glared at him. "He hates everything."
From his monitor station, Zix let out an audible sigh. Ever since Mynock Squad had arrived on Abraxas, things had been both noisy and quiet. Quiet because Abraxas was a planet hardly anyone cared about. Noisy because Sanso wouldn't shut up about that fact.
The door to their outpost's command center opened and in walked Commander Drokk himself, his wrinkled blue skin creased with stress, age, and probably anger. Behind the Chagrian was a human male with fair skin and brown hair, walking with his arms behind his back, a stance Zix normally associated with Jedi.
"I can assure you, Jedi Solo, that our scanners are up to standard," Drokk was saying, his voice tight as if he was trying to restrain his impatience. "And if not our scanners, then my men are surely keeping a sharp eye out for any unauthorized craft."
Zix knew the commander wasn't really complimenting the squad; every day he would call them incompetent losers who should never have passed boot camp. Zix could tell that Drokk was merely bluffing so he could make the Jedi leave and 'stick his nose' in someone else's business.
The Jedi clearly was not falling for the bluff, especially after he saw Sanso slouching in his chair. "Nevertheless," the young man said, "I think it would be best if I stayed here for a while to make sure things are running smoothly. Both the Alliance and the Jedi are wary with these Glorians, you know."
The commander's impatience was becoming even more obvious. "Even so, I doubt these Glorians will have any interest in Abraxas. Its mines are almost completely dry, its ore is worthless compare to most other minerals in the galaxy, and it is all around a minor planet."
"My sentiments exactly," Zix heard Sanso mutter under his breath. Luckily for him, Drokk did not seem to hear him.
The Jedi crossed his arms, his face calm and almost emotionless. "I'm afraid that I must stay, commander. Admiral Sovv and the Jeid Council insisted on sending me here."
Drokk glowered at him, his blue eyes like sharp ice sickles. Finally, the Chagrian gave a stiff, grudging nod. "Very well," he grunted. "Make yourself at home."
With that, the commander strode out of the room, leaving the Jedi in the command center. The young man turned to Zix and the others, a weak smile on his face. "Guess someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he said.
Zix nodded, standing up from his station. "Yes, he's like that a lot." He extended a three-fingered, spindly hand. "Lieutenant Zix of Mynock Squad."
"Jacen Solo," the Jedi said, shaking the Verpine's hand. He inclined his head towards the others' computer monitors. "Have you detected anything in system?"
"Nothing yet," said Jasel, the only person besides Samakalii and her friend Reeda who actually did her work. Both she and Reeda Kanu had been transferred from Rancor Squad after their leader, as well as a fellow squad mate, disappeared along with Kashyyyk.
"Wait," she suddenly said. "Something's coming out of hyperspace..."
Zix and Jacen Solo rushed over to stand on either side of her, leaning forward so they could see her monitor. For a moment, there was nothing there but the blackness of space surrounding Abraxas. Then, without warning, a strange ship, of a unique model that Zix did not recognize, jumped out of the blue, arriving a great distance away from the planet.
"Is that a ship or some giant space spider?" Sanso asked as he walked over to see for himself. Indeed the spacecraft looked like a giant, eight-legged arachnid, with its 'head' having one, narrow, slit-like 'eye' serving as a viewport.
"Samakalii, see if you can hail it," Jasel said to the Dressellian.
The wrinkled-skinned alien did so and sent a communications frequency towards the ship. The squad and the Jedi then waited for a response. None ever came.
Just as Samakalii was about to attempt another transmission, the stillness of space was disrupted again by another hyperspace arrival. This time, it was an entire fleet of ships, larger than the first one, but similar in that they had insectoid or arachnid-like appearances. Zix jumped back from the sight.
"Reeda," he called, "sound the alarm!"
Jacen held up a hand to stop them. "Wait. They're not heading for Abraxas."
Jasel gave him a confused look. "How can you tell?"
"I've been on enough space travels with my father to recognize a ship's course." His face fell into a grim expression. "They're not heading for Abraxas. They're headed for Kaal."
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