CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The moment the invading ships suddenly ceased firing, the surviving citizens of Kaal had briefly thought that a miraculous savior had come to save them.
Until they saw their bringer of the Armageddon return.
The monstrous behemoth descended through the barricade of ships that sealed off the planet from its sky. Its tendrils hung off of it like the fingers of a giant claw, anxious to grab the people and send them off to oblivion. Its tail hovered over them like a stinger ready to strike. Its single emerald eye gleamed with bale.
It took a moment for Kyle Katarn to realize that it was actually a spaceship.
The people of Kaal gathered into a crowd, watching in awe and despair as the craft slowly came to a stop over the ravaged city of Hoth's Provenance. For a while, everything was still and silent, until the behemoth spoke.
"Citizens and visitors of Kaal, lend me your eats. I understand that you may consider our visit...unpleasant, but I assure you that we mean you no harm."
"No harm?" a male human native cried. "You've just killed about forty percent of us, including my girlfriend! To the pits with-"
A quick and efficient blast from the monster silenced the human, leaving nothing left of him but ashes.
"Any harm we do bring is a result of others' insolence," the monstrous ship continued. "If you all willingly comply with us, your lives will be spared."
"Now, hold on just a minute!" Governor Vakam moved through the crowds, stepping into clear view of the spacecraft. "What makes you think we'll follow you if we don't even know who you are?"
The voice from the spaceship chuckled. "We are the Glorian Empire. Our mission is to bring eternal peace to the galaxy. And in order to achieve that, we must eliminate anyone who has proven to be a threat to the galaxy, which includes the Jedi, the Sith, the Imperial Remnant, the Galactic Alliance, the Mandalorians, and so on."
"But we were at peace!" the governor retorted. "We were at peace until you arrived!"
Again, the voice laughed. "Our master says otherwise. He has foreseen that this galaxy will fall back to chaos and strife as it always has. And why might that be, hmm?"
Vakam opened his mouth to reply, but the voice cut him off. "Because clearly you enjoy war. You enjoy killing other people. You enjoy conquering worlds and fighting for them. Why else would you be doing these things for over a thousand generations?"
When no response came from anyone, the voice made a disdainful snort. "Have you found yourself at a loss for words? Of course you have, because you know that I am right."
After a moment of silence, Arek called up to the ship. "What are you going to do to us now?"
"Ah, yes. I almost forgot." A loud rumble shook the earth. Suddenly, rising up in the distance, was a strange, claw-shaped building. The tip of its 'talons' sparked and a beam of energy shot towards the sun, opening up a portal at the same time.
"This event may be a little frightening for you," the monstrous spacecraft said. "But don't worry, I'll make sure little harm comes to you."
* * *
I should be dead now...
Jaden Korr opened his eyes. Like, really dead.
He rose up. He was no longer in Karness Muur's chamber but instead appeared to be on a moving starship, for the walls of a hyperspace tunnel could be seen moving past a nearby viewport. Realizing that he was sitting on a bed, he got off of it and stood on his feet. To his surprise, Lexa, Koria, Tal, Jovan, and Naia were laying on beds beside him as well, safely asleep.
As he wondered what they were doing here, the door to whatever room he was in opened and the two-headed Troig he had seen Violet with entered. Startled, Jaden reached for where his lightsaber should have been, only to find it gone.
The Troig named Janusinmend chuckled lightly. "Do not worry, Jedi. Your lightsaber is in good hands."
Jaden scowled at him. "How do I know you're not leading me into another trap?"
The Troig shook both of his heads. "I apologize for tricking you earlier on Taris, but it was necessary for my mission."
Jaden stared at him in bemusement. "Okay...mind giving me some explanation? It's probably the only thing that will keep me sane."
Janusinmend chuckled. "Very well. First of all, an explanation on what exactly I am. I am a freelance agent- for whom exactly I will not say- and was stationed on Nal Hutta, acting as Raaxus the Hutt's court jester. Some time ago, the Glorians sent out their agents to undermine all of the major galactic factions. Violet, specifically, was tasked with infiltrating the Hutts.
"While she was on Nal Hutta, she encountered me and saw me as a very intelligent individual and thus a potential ally. When she discovered via agents on Sleheyron that you were heading for Taris, she was afraid that you would find out about the Muur Talisman, which she sought to keep safe, and entrusted me in stopping you and your companions.
"However, shortly after I met Violet, her ex-lover Shadow also met with me, asking me to both keep a watchful eye on Violet- whom he didn't trust- and to make sure that the Muur Talisman would be destroyed."
"And that's where the Gen'Dai came in, correct?" Jaden said, trying to add all of this up in his head.
Janusinmend's heads nodded. "Exactly. I do apologize for unleashing the Gen'Dai on you. When I received Shadow's signal, I had assumed he simply needed to defeat whoever Muur was possessing and destroy the talisman."
"No hard feelings," Jaden said. "So, how did you save me?"
The two heads smiled simultaneously. "I didn't. He did."
Suddenly, a masked humanoid appeared in the doorway behind Janusinmend. The stranger wore black robes and red armor, and their face was concealed by a Mandalorian-esque mask.
Jaden stared at the newcomer skeptically. "And just who are you?"
"I am the Revanchist," the stranger said in a masculine voice. "I was on Taris, searching for Master Ven'sol in the Lower City as well. When I found out that I wasn't alone, I hid in the shadows and decided to follow you and Violet. I stayed in the corner of Muur's chamber, right by the door, and watched you fight the rakghouls. I saw you struggle with them, but knew Muur was just toying with you."
"I see," Jaden said. "So, how did you save me from the Gen'dai?"
"I defeated it," the Revanchist said casually. "I then took care of Muur and left the talisman with Shadow and Violet. I'm sure they're still arguing over what to do with it."
Jaden's face became even more skeptical. "How were you able to do all of that so easily."
"I can not give you the answer to that question," the Revanchist said. "Unless, of course, you wish to accompany me to Dromund Kaas."
Jaden raised an eyebrow. "Dromund Kaas? I thought it was said that the incident at Korriban caused radiation there."
The Revanchist nodded. "I'm glad your people fell for that. So, what do you say?"
Jaden shook his head. "I don't think so. Why should I follow a total stranger to the former capital of a Sith Empire?"
"Do you want to find your missing Jedi or not?"
Jaden's eyes widened in surprise. "You know about...?"
"Indeed I do. So, what do you say?"
The masked man extended his hand. Jaden stared at it in consideration. Glancing at his still-sleeping companions, he said, "What about my friends?"
"They may come along, if you like."
Jaden continued to consider the offer. Even if the Revanchist was not a dark sider, he would still be in danger of falling to the dark side on Dromund Kaas. But if the man was also telling the truth, and that the information on the missing Jedi's whereabouts were on Dromund, then he would have to finish what he had set out to do.
It only took a minute for him to finally decide, but in his mind, it took hours. He finally grasped the Revanchist's hand and shook it.
"All right then," he said. "Let's go to Dromund Kaas."
"However, shortly after I met Violet, her ex-lover Shadow also met with me, asking me to both keep a watchful eye on Violet- whom he didn't trust- and to make sure that the Muur Talisman would be destroyed."
"And that's where the Gen'Dai came in, correct?" Jaden said, trying to add all of this up in his head.
Janusinmend's heads nodded. "Exactly. I do apologize for unleashing the Gen'Dai on you. When I received Shadow's signal, I had assumed he simply needed to defeat whoever Muur was possessing and destroy the talisman."
"No hard feelings," Jaden said. "So, how did you save me?"
The two heads smiled simultaneously. "I didn't. He did."
Suddenly, a masked humanoid appeared in the doorway behind Janusinmend. The stranger wore black robes and red armor, and their face was concealed by a Mandalorian-esque mask.
Jaden stared at the newcomer skeptically. "And just who are you?"
"I am the Revanchist," the stranger said in a masculine voice. "I was on Taris, searching for Master Ven'sol in the Lower City as well. When I found out that I wasn't alone, I hid in the shadows and decided to follow you and Violet. I stayed in the corner of Muur's chamber, right by the door, and watched you fight the rakghouls. I saw you struggle with them, but knew Muur was just toying with you."
"I see," Jaden said. "So, how did you save me from the Gen'dai?"
"I defeated it," the Revanchist said casually. "I then took care of Muur and left the talisman with Shadow and Violet. I'm sure they're still arguing over what to do with it."
Jaden's face became even more skeptical. "How were you able to do all of that so easily."
"I can not give you the answer to that question," the Revanchist said. "Unless, of course, you wish to accompany me to Dromund Kaas."
Jaden raised an eyebrow. "Dromund Kaas? I thought it was said that the incident at Korriban caused radiation there."
The Revanchist nodded. "I'm glad your people fell for that. So, what do you say?"
Jaden shook his head. "I don't think so. Why should I follow a total stranger to the former capital of a Sith Empire?"
"Do you want to find your missing Jedi or not?"
Jaden's eyes widened in surprise. "You know about...?"
"Indeed I do. So, what do you say?"
The masked man extended his hand. Jaden stared at it in consideration. Glancing at his still-sleeping companions, he said, "What about my friends?"
"They may come along, if you like."
Jaden continued to consider the offer. Even if the Revanchist was not a dark sider, he would still be in danger of falling to the dark side on Dromund Kaas. But if the man was also telling the truth, and that the information on the missing Jedi's whereabouts were on Dromund, then he would have to finish what he had set out to do.
It only took a minute for him to finally decide, but in his mind, it took hours. He finally grasped the Revanchist's hand and shook it.
"All right then," he said. "Let's go to Dromund Kaas."
EPILOGUE
"You've all heard the news, I take it?"
Admiral Sien Sovv, Grand Moff Rolan Verradun, and the gathered members of the GA Advisory Council and Moff Council all nodded. Cal Omas let out a deep sigh.
"The Kaal system has vanished from the galactic map. The survivors of Admiral Maltar's fleet say that this was the doing of the Glorian invaders. But how could they have caused an entire system to vanish?"
"The same way the Horuset and Kashyyyk systems vanishes," Senator Tian Nek of Sullust said, his voice filled with depression. "They just...made it vanish. It's hopeless...we're doomed."
Moff Bor Teron snorted disdainfully. "Preposterous. A phenomenon like this is impossible. This must be some cruel trick!"
"If it is, it's a very elaborate one," the elderly Duros senator Izrin Arapto muttered. "Anyway, I truly doubt that that is the case."
"Agreed," Cal Omas said. "We must be alert. Admiral Sovv, I want you to strengthen defenses near systems important to the Alliance and Imperial Remnant."
The Sullustan nodded. "Done."
Grand Moff Verradun gave a grim look to the Chief of State. "It appears that we're on the brink of war, aren't we?"
"To be honest," Omas murmured, "I think that we've long fallen off that brink..."
* * *
"Summarize the battle for me."
General Starka's holographic figure nodded. "Our first scout ship detected a Coruscanti freighter on the same hyperspace route Kaal was. Although its primary destination was Dalandae, our scouts found out that it was scheduled for a fuel stop at Kaal. Since we did not desire outside witnesses of our attack, the scouts attempted to destroy the ship. They managed to kill everyone on board...except for three Jedi, a squad of Alliance troopers, another soldier, and an assassin droid."
The Emperor slowly nodded. "Did they prove any trouble?"
"No, my liege. They scurried in terror just like everyone else on the planet."
The Emperor grinned in satisfaction. "Excellent. I take it that the battle went well then?"
"Yes, my liege. The Kaal system has been transported to the main region and is thus involved with the Rebuilding."
A slow but genuine applause sounded the scarcely lit throne room. "You have done very good, general. You have yet to make me regret promoting you to Supreme Commander."
The hologram bowed. "Thank you, Emperor. It seems that the Invasion is off to a good start."
"Invasion?" The Emperor let out a sharp laugh. "Since the Alliance responded better than I expected, this is no longer a mere 'invasion'. No...you realize that this means war."
TO BE CONTINUED....
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