[STORY] Koros Major

[Voros Viszla]

Voro Vizsla​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, Dusk, Terrified Elevator Guardian; Voros Viszla​

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I wiggled around for a bit, but it really wasn’t getting me anywhere. I finally stopped to catch my breath and glanced over at Jeh’Kant. He was looking at me, but it felt like his gaze went right through me. I noticed him mouthing something silently, and then his eyes flickered back to life. He relaxed his grip on me, and suddenly, he was speaking in this serious tone that I wasn't used to hearing from him. Something about his entire demeanor had shifted, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had made him change so quickly.

He pointed out the irony of me claiming to be a warrior bred for combat when, honestly, I’d been trying to dodge it at every turn. His grip on my arm loosened completely while he pushed himself up off the ground, brushing off his clothes as he continued to talk. I felt this disbelief creeping in, my mind racing. Was I really just a product of my environment? Was Jeh’Kant playing some kind of mind game with me? His serious tone added weight to his words, and I couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was some truth to what he was saying.

Next thing I knew, he was reaching his hand out to me, saying, “To end a battle without need of a weapon is my greatest goal. You aren’t there yet. Neither am I. But perhaps, together, we can reach that goal.”

His words hit deep; I felt this spark of inspiration light up in my chest. I wanted to take his hand, but then I hesitated. I sighed, shaking off the thought and getting to my feet. I brushed away his hand, standing tall while still facing away from him.

“I am a Roonian Warrior; I always have been and always will be,” I said firmly, trying to keep my voice steady.

“The elevator should be ready. Leave… now.”

I clenched my fist, irritation bubbling up inside me. Why did he have to go and say all that? It was true, I wasn’t exactly living up to the warrior vibe, but after spending the last twelve years steeped in Roonian culture, their code and philosophies were drilled into my head.

“Master Shunto, what would you do?” I thought to myself, the question lingering in the air with the unspoken weight of expectation.​

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[Jeh'Kant Kai]

JEH'KANT KAI​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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Jeh'Kant had rattled his best friend's core beliefs, that much was for certain. This much was true from the choice of words that he had opted to use and his mannerism. He didn't take any ill-will toward the man not accepting his partnership or even his hand—instead he smiled kindly back at his best friend before pivoting his heel and walking towards the elevator. "Don't think about it too much" he said as he waved with his back to Voros, "I wouldn't want you to regret things later, ya'know? Plus, sometimes, you just have to act." By the last bit of words Jeh'Kant had already stepped into the elevator and turned towards Voros once again, trying to time the closing of the elevator doors with the last bit of words he had said. "Alright, Huyang!" He did the finger gun motion towards his best friend and wink at him while speaking to Huyang, "TAKE US DOWN!" ... Several seconds passed, the elevator neither went down nor did the close doors. With the awkward silence in play, Jeh'Kant couldn't help but turn his head towards Huyang with a slight twitch in his left eye.​

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[DarthVerus]

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Huyang, the Professor​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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It was finally time to depart—and what awaited them in the fortress could be behind a mighty task. The fortress was festered with the Knights of Bogan and the place in itself was strong with the dark side of the Force, and although Huyang couldn’t feel it he knew that the dangers ahead could be fatal to them. They had to be discreet and effective. What worried him more however was that his companion, Jeh’Kant, sometimes lacked a brain. Every now and then, he wondered if Jeh’Kant’s Jedi training should’ve been supplemented with elementary studies to sharpen his logical acumen and basic educational skills. They were in a catacomb that was well below the city, there was no level below where they were. And yet, Jeh’Kant thought they could go even lower. Huyang used his mechanical finger to push a button which would command the elevator to move up and guide them to the surface.​

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”Sir Kai, we’re three hundred metres below the planetary surface. There’s not much lower we could go.”​

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Huyang uttered through his vocal emulators with a clear be-wise undertone as the elevator took them up. As Huyang had said that, the droid then began analysing the situation at hand and came to a singular conclusion: the enemy was likely leading them to a trap they simply had to spring should they want to succeed.​

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Alena Solo, the Grand Admiral of the Corellian Fleet ​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Imperial Negotiations​

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Alena watched the so-called ”emperor” of Koros Major think as she had just listened to the rather interesting proposal of the Jedi. She stood just five metres apart from the odd space wizard on his right side. While the rest of their delegation seemed even threatened by the proposal, she stood unphased like an unyielding rock—with a fire in her eyes that seemed equal to the flames within the eyes of the Jedi. She was quite different to the governors and diplomats that the Corellian leadership sent. In all ways.

She appeared very different to any other Grand Admiral you could imagine—she wore none of her badges of honor, none of her stripes, nothing—just the plain uniform of a Corellian officer. And she wore it in a casual manner compared to anyone else as it is. Since she had the guts to enter the Korosi throne room with little regard to any formalities, she’d have the guts to stop the emperors’ thoughts in their tracks too.​

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”Your highness, if I may, I’d advise you not to join a losing side.” ​

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She uttered with confidence that seemed to border with arrogance—and her statement instantly awoke ire in the eyes of the emperor. But he didn’t respond yet, nor did he interrupt her—he was wise enough to listen.​

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”I only wonder what kind of protection the Jedi and the Coruscanti military could provide you? And against whom? Us? If so, I have a fair reason to believe that their opposition in the Knights of Bogan currently hold an upper hand on the Jedi. And similarly, I have a fair reason to believe that their navy is spent and they’re barely capable of defending their positions.”​

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What she stated was a statistical fact; while the Coruscanti initially had an upper hand in ground operations, the presence of the Roonian elite military has evened the playing field. And it was a fact that the Corellian navy had a total upper hand on the Coruscanti, with the latter being incapable of assuming any operational advancements and the situation had been such for six months already. Corellian victory was very much a matter of time, not numbers. And the Knights of Bogan similarly had beaten the Jedi to assume full defense on contested worlds. As such, the Jedi truly was on the losing side currently.

The emperor ended his finger tapping action as he resumed his speech, still directed towards the Jedi; offering more questions than answers.​

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”I believe your opposition is correct. My intel also has informed me that you’ve taken significant losses in multiple sectors and that the Corellian First Fleet is closing in on Coruscant itself as of late. I heard that your navy had to abandon Metellos and that your ground forces are currently besieged on the planet. How would you explain your ability to… Protect us while you’re unable to protect yourselves?”​

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The emperor answered, citing the ongoing battle for Metellos. It was a key world to Jedi specifically as it was the starting point of the hyperspace route to Ilum, a world sacred to the Jedi and the world where most padawans collected their kyber crystals. The Jedi was between the rock and a hard place in these negotiations, and he’d have to convince the emperor far harder.​

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[Xev]

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20000 BBY, Koros Major – A Jedi's Gambit​

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The air in the throne room was taut, the weight of impending decisions pressing upon every soul present. Xev Kalmer stood resolute, his amber eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight as he faced Emperor Koros III. The Emperor's skepticism was palpable, his gaze piercing as he awaited the Jedi's response.

"Your Highness," Xev began, his voice steady yet imbued with urgency, "I understand the gravity of your concerns." The Corellian forces have indeed made significant advances, and our recent losses at Metellos have been a severe blow." He paused, allowing the acknowledgment of their setbacks to resonate. He had seized control of the room’s attention, the weight of their scrutiny pressing in on him from all sides. He remained still. Controlled. Watching. Amber eyes like firelight. A single figure against a sea of power-hungry opportunists. The Emperor did not move. But Xev could feel his mind working, calculating, sifting through the implications of his words. Not outright dismissing them. Not yet.

That alone was progress. The Corellians, however… their presence was a different force altogether. Alena Solo. Xev could sense her near him, standing just five meters to his right, her unwavering confidence mirroring his own. A woman of war, not diplomacy. And a warrior recognizes another when they see one. For all her earlier amusement, he knew she wasn’t laughing now.

Xev didn’t let his gaze drift to her. To acknowledge her directly would be to play into her game. And this was not her game.

This was his.

"However," he continued, a spark igniting in his eyes, "amidst these challenges, the Jedi Order has uncovered critical intelligence that could irrevocably alter the course of this war." The room seemed to tighten around his words, the tension almost tangible.

"Our operatives have discovered that the Knights of Bogan are in pursuit of an ancient superweapon," Xev revealed, his tone grave. "A device capable of annihilating entire civilizations, not merely fleets or armies." Murmurs rippled through the assembly, the gravity of such a weapon sending chills through even the most stoic of the Emperor's advisors.

"This weapon," Xev pressed on, "is believed to be hidden on Ilum, a planet sacred to the Jedi for its kyber crystal caves." He glanced at the Emperor, noting the flicker of recognition. "The same Ilum connected to Metellos via a secret hyperspace route, a route now compromised by the Corellian advance."

The Emperor's fingers drummed thoughtfully on the armrest of his throne, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information.

"Even as we speak," Xev continued, his voice gaining intensity, "our agents are en route to Ilum to secure this weapon before it falls into the hands of the Knights of Bogan. Should they succeed, the balance of power would shift dramatically in favor of the Coruscanti Alliance."

He took a deliberate step forward, his gaze unwavering. "Your Majesty, by aligning with us, you not only gain the protection of the Jedi Order but also position yourself on the side poised to wield this decisive power. Together, we can prevent the devastation that the Knights of Bogan seek to unleash and restore balance to the galaxy."

The silence that followed was profound, the weight of Xev's words hanging heavily in the air. The Emperor's expression remained inscrutable, but the tension in the room spoke volumes. The stakes had been laid bare, and the next move belonged to the throne.
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[Voros Viszla]

Voro Vizsla​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, Dusk, Ambivalence Elevator Guardian; Voros Vizsla​

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My mind was clouded; uncertainty gnawed at me, and I questioned whether I had truly made the right decision. As I heard Jeh’Kant turn and stride toward the elevator, my irritation only intensified. He called out not to overthink the idea of joining, claiming he didn’t want to force my hand. Apparently, he was already forgetting all he had done earlier; I hoped for his sake that his mind was clear.

As Jeh’Kant stepped into the elevator, I turned slightly, wanting one last glimpse of him before he vanished. To my astonishment, I overheard him instructing his droid to take him down. Was something wrong with his mental faculties? His droid ought to run a brain scan after all, we were on the city's bottom floor. I couldn't believe that this was the man everyone looked to for salvation. A slight smile crept onto my face, and a snicker escaped as I watched Jeh’Kant pose dramatically, stuck in a mock gun wielding stance at the open door.

The droid alerted him that they couldn’t descend any further, then pressed the button to ascend. The elevator doors slid shut, and they were gone. I stood frozen, facing the now-closed doors, doubt creeping back into my consciousness, swirling around like a storm in my mind.

“Master Shunto,” I murmured softly to myself.

Master Shunto was a pivotal figure in my life. He had rescued me from despair as a child. Unlike the other Roonians, he was a beacon of hope. He consistently prioritized others above himself, tirelessly training and mentoring those around him to hone their skills beyond the battlefield's grim necessities. He firmly believed that there was more to life than just war. Despite his past, filled with darkness, he dedicated himself to rescuing and training orphans, aiming to equip them with the ability to defend themselves once they were ready to face a world that had shown them little mercy.

I had always looked up to him, aspiring to emulate his strength and integrity a leader unafraid to defy the status quo. When did my principles shift? How had I allowed myself to forget everything Master Shunto had instilled in me?

That’s right; Master Shunto had perished on the battlefield alongside the first in command. On that fateful day, he was the only one who didn’t return. I had felt numb, unable to process the enormity of the loss. The first in command held a ceremony to honor him, but as I reflected on that day, an unsettling thought took root: Why had Master Shunto been the sole casualty among a twelve-man unit?

My body trembled at the realization. There was no way. My legs began to buckle, yet I steadied myself, pressing my right hand against the face of my helmet. Could it be that they had murdered him? The other commanders often derided him for fostering more orphans and teaching them values contrary to the Roonian code. But they’d never openly confronted him. Master Shunto was the first commander’s right-hand man, after all; he was more than capable of handling anything that came his way.

Minutes slipped by as I grappled with the implications of what I’d uncovered. But the truth remained elusive; all I knew was that he had died with them. Given his nature, he would undoubtedly sacrifice himself for the sake of his comrades. I vowed to confront the first commander upon my return. As I approached the elevator, ready to push the button, I paused, wrestling with my thoughts.

“Do I wish to remain a Roonian, or is it time to embark on my own journey?”

Damn it, Jeh’Kant was messing with my head. I pressed the button and waited for the elevator to return, realizing it was time to carve my destiny from this moment forward.​

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[DarthVerus]

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Fortress of the Knights of Bogan!​

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The place where Jeh’Kant and Huyang were headed was dark and full of terrors. It was a desecrated, former Jedi Temple that was among the first few temples that the monastic order had established on worlds outside of their own. However, when the Knights of Bogan returned two-hundred years ago they took the temple for themselves after slaughtering dozens of Jedi and utterly immersed the temple in the dark side of the Force—performing occult rituals and dark side magic within its walls to wash away any slight drop of light left within.

Today, it acts as their outpost and albeit Koros itself is neutral—they allow either Jedi or the Knights of Bogan to act on their soil as long as this action is confined within the domain of this said temple, regardless of who controls it. As such, the Knights of Bogan enjoy a heavily guarded and a fortified fortress on a planet which the Jedi can not attack. Not directly, that is. Hence why Jeh’Kant and Huyang had to take an unorthodox route. But, they were already expected. Their route was the route of less resistance, more than likely.​

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In the elevator hallway, the Jedi guests were already awaited by fourteen adepts of the dark side of the Force. However, they weren’t true Knights of Bogan. Nor were they even acolytes. They were called the Hollow Guards, Force-sensitive abominations that were conceived through the occult methods of the Dai Orda. They were the bulk of their backline, warriors they could spend on the Jedi—unlike their own knights. However, no one but those within the Knights of Bogan knew the origin of these humanoid creatures. Not even Corellians, as they believed they were a product of some occult Boganite magic. Instead, they were a product of ancient alchemy that was far more refined than cloning.​

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[Jeh'Kant Kai]

JEH'KANT KAI​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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That was awkward. Not only had Jeh’Kant mistimed the finger guns but he also was directionally challenged. The more he thought about it inside his own mind after Huyang’s comment, he pondered on the idea that maybe perhaps that’s why he wasn’t allowed to leave anywhere without Huyang. As the elevator doors closed his hand came up and he slapped his forehead against his head. “Oh no, Huyang!” He said in a panic, Huyang’s tone processors would be able to determine the genuine shock in Jeh’Kant’s voice, “My bestfriend is going to think I’m a nobody!” he sobbed as he thought of Voros.

By the time the elevator had gone up, Jeh’Kant would be able to regain control of his emotions. Similar to Huyang he also had an uneasy feeling as his hands moved closer to his lightsabers on each hip. “Huyang…” he whispered as the elevator slowed down and came to a near halt. As the doors slowly opened, Jeh’Kant’s eyes widened as he immediately ignited his lightsabers, propelling himself forward in a spiral-like motion. For any eye-witness, they would see a blur of lavender streaks shoot out like a bullet from the elevator doors before stopping immediately near the end of the hallway, which now had burnt marks all across the walls.

Jeh’Kant would look back in disgust as he turned off his lightsabers, which was timed with the creatures bodies completely separating and falling into several pieces. “Huyang, when were you going to tell me you had siblings?!” He said as he looked at these disgusting creatures as he squatted down and removed one of their masks. “What are these things?” Once Huyang would record data on this creatures, Jeh'Kant would use the Force to clean up the mess by using it to "push" all the bodies into the elevator, creating a rather unique elevator ride for the next person to use it as the smell of charred bodies would be extremely delightful. ​

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[DarthVerus]

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Huyang, the Professor​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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Despite Huyang being but a droid and as such lacked emotions, his processor really wanted to express annoyance at Jeh’Kant every now and then. However, he didn’t do so out of purpose as well. Huyang was his guide, no matter where he went. The ancient architect droid excelled in everything where the young Jedi lacked, therefore pairing them was pretty much a no brainer. He dismissed the young Jedi’s emotional outburst as he kept a rather dull expression across his ocular sensors. However, he counted on the young Jedi to gather his wits as he had to—they had arrived at the lions’ den.

As soon as the elevator door opened, Huyang barely could witness the young Jedi in action due to his blurring speed—but the architect droid almost felt proud and delighted seeing Jeh’Kant doing what he was best at. Huyang was the brains of their operations, while Jeh’Kant was often the brawn. However, Huyang’s dull expression returned once again as soon as Jeh’Kant had disposed of their opposition and opened his mouth.​

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”Altogether, only two-thousand and forty-six Mark IV Architect droids have been produced. However these beings are not my siblings. They aren’t… Droids.”​

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Huyang responded through his vocal processors as he walked forward, leaving the elevator as his ocular sensors began scanning and analyzing the bodies scattered about. The Jedi Order had already met these artificial beings before during the Battle of Alsakan, one of the more recent battles between the Coruscanti Alliance and the Corellian Dominion. The Jedi managed to secure some bodies of these beings, only to find out that they are genetically entirely human—only artificial and vastly modified, unknown how. And while their genome seemed to differ vastly, they held many similarities. They weren’t clones, but they weren’t born through regular means as it was deduced. At this point in galactic history, only the Kaminoans possessed any skills in genetic cloning and even they hadn’t yet quite perfected their craft. And they weren’t quite skilled enough to replicate Force-sensitives, as it was thought to be impossible.

In truth, unbeknownst to Huyang and the Jedi Order, it was the mysterious Dai Orda who had created these beings as soldiers for the Knights of Bogan exclusively—utilizing their intricate studies into midichlorians and alchemy to create these abominations.​

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”I do not exactly know what they are, but Master Shu-Hen encountered these beings on Alsakan previously. I believe they are genetically vastly altered humans, or alchemically produced humans. Our scientists haven’t quite confirmed this yet.”​

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However their presence here didn’t worry Huyang—what worried him was the silence that fell upon them after their deaths. It seemed like no one else was there. The next hallway seemed to be accessible, and that hallway would lead directly to the prison chambers according to the schematics. It felt too convenient for the enemy to leave the passage to their valued prisoner as open as it was. They certainly had walked into a trap, but he didn’t know what exactly. His sensors indicated that there were many biosignatures nearby, but not in their immediate vicinity. All they could do was to move forward.​

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”I have a bad feeling about this. I suggest moving, Sir Kai. If this is a trap, we must spring it.”​

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Huyang uttered through his vocal processors as he walked on towards the next hallway—until they would finally reach the door to the prison chambers.​

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Alena Solo, the Grand Admiral of the Corellian Fleet ​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Imperial Negotiations​

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In the royal palace, Alena watched as the Korosi ruler and the Jedi spoke—and what the Jedi had just said kept her more than guessing. Either he spoke the truth or he was bluffing, but she assumed the latter option was correct as she had no intel regarding any weapon of such power. However, she opted not to interrupt the Jedi to see where his explanation would end up. It was indeed known that the Battle of Metellos was contested mostly due to the hyperspace route to Ilum, but the strategic and long-term purpose of securing Ilum was to deprive Jedi of their kyber crystals and to harness their power for military purposes. And she knew that the Knights of Bogan were in pursuit of some information here on Koros, but she had no idea that Ilum could possess such a weapon.

But, she believed he bluffed. And she thought that the emperor thought so as well. As such, the Korosi emperor smirked and looked at the Jedi with light amusement—measuring his composure as he as well tried to see whether the Jedi was bluffing or not.​

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”A super weapon on Ilum? I thought it was a Jedi planet where you harness your precious kyber crystals? How come you haven’t used this weapon yet? I wonder.”​

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The emperor asked with an amused tone as his smirk only widened, as he stared at the Jedi with utmost intent and clarity.​

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[Voros Viszla]

Voro Vizsla​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, Dusk, Ambivalence Elevator Guardian; Voros Vizsla​

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As I stood waiting for the elevator to come down to my level, I couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and doubt swirling inside me. Was I really ready to go down this path? Was it the right call? Just then, the elevator dinged, pulling me out of my thoughts, and the doors slid open.

What I saw inside took me by surprise. I stared for a moment, my heart racing, but then I shook off the shock. It was pretty clear this had “Jeh’Kant” written all over it. The bodies around me looked like they had seen better days, and I figured they must’ve carried the unmistakable stench from being sliced and charred to bits. Luckily, my helmet was equipped with a filter that kept any foul smells at bay.

With a deep breath, I stepped into the elevator, maneuvering around the bodies as I pressed the button to take me to the same level as Jeh’Kant and his droid companion. As the doors slid shut, a nagging question popped into my head: “Am I really going to do this?”

The elevator hummed as it ascended, almost like it knew the tension building up inside me. When the doors opened again, I found myself staring down a hallway that had clearly seen better days. The walls were marked with spirals where lightsabers had cut through, and upon closer inspection, it was evident that there were several marks—indicating Jeh’Kant might have been dual-wielding lightsabers. Great, just great.

I tried to shake off the nervousness and focused on moving forward. I began walking down the corridor toward the prison chambers, each step echoing in the silence. I just hoped I could catch up to Jeh’Kant soon and figure out what the heck was going on.​

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[Xev]

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20000 BBY, Koros Major – A Jedi's Gambit​

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The Emperor’s smirk was a razor-edged thing—sharp, dangerous, designed to cut through half-truths and layered diplomacy. His words hung in the charged air, mocking yet probing, like the delicate tip of a vibroblade pressed just shy of the skin.​

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"A superweapon on Ilum? I thought it was a Jedi planet where you harness your precious kyber crystals? How come you haven’t used this weapon yet? I wonder."​

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The amusement in the Emperor’s voice echoed across the throne room, drawing a ripple of sardonic chuckles from his court. Even Alena Solo, though silent, seemed to tilt her head with the faintest edge of a grin—watching Xev intently, calculating, as if daring him to flinch.​

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But he didn’t. Xev stood unshaken, the smirk of the Emperor reflected back not with defiance, but with something far more dangerous—certainty.​

He stepped forward—just one measured step—but the shift in his presence was undeniable. The kind of movement a predator makes when it knows the game is still in its control.​

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“You’re right, Your Highness.”​

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The Emperor’s smirk widened—until Xev’s voice dropped, low and burning.​

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“Ilum is sacred to the Jedi. We have guarded its secrets for millennia. And there is a reason we’ve never used the weapon.”​

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A flicker crossed the Emperor’s features—so brief it could have been imagined—but Xev caught it. The smirk faltered. The game had shifted again.​

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“Because it was never meant to be used,” Xev continued, his amber eyes now alive with a quiet, volcanic intensity. “It was meant to be buried. Hidden. Forgotten.”​

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He let the weight of that revelation hang in the air, thick and suffocating.​

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“But the Knights of Bogan… they don’t care about sacred oaths. About balance. They care about power. And now, they’re closer than ever to finding it.”​

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The room grew heavier, the undercurrent of tension snapping taut. Even Alena’s passive amusement shifted into a more guarded curiosity.​

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“And if they do,” Xev pressed on, “this war becomes irrelevant. Fleets, armies, politics—all of it burns.”​

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His voice softened, but it lost none of its force.​

“You asked why we haven’t used it, Your Majesty? Because the Jedi believe in preserving life, not extinguishing it.”​

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He let that sit for a beat before landing the next blow.​

“But the Knights of Bogan? They do not share that belief. And if they awaken what lies beneath Ilum—there will be no Coruscant. No Corellia. No Koros Major. There will be nothing.”​

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Silence. A deep, dangerous silence.​

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Xev could feel the weight of the room pressing in on him—the Emperor testing every word, weighing its truth.​

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He exhaled, a slow, controlled breath.​

“Call it a bluff, if you wish.”​

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He spread his hands, palms open.​

“But how much are you willing to gamble, Your Majesty?”​

And there it was—the heart of the game laid bare. The question wasn’t whether the Emperor believed him. It was whether he was willing to risk the galaxy on the chance that Xev wasn’t lying.​

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The Emperor wouldn't smirk this time.​

He thought.​

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[Jeh'Kant Kai]

JEH'KANT KAI​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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There was something unsettling about this whole ordeal. From the approach of infiltration, to running into his bestfriend, to Huyang’s siblings, and now as they reached the prison doors—something in Jeh’Kant’s gut was causing his stomach to turn and twist into knots. Perhaps it was the Force speaking to him but he was at unease and his heart was beating rather quickly. His eyes glanced from side-to-side, ensuring both their safety. As they came closer to the prison doors, Jeh’Kant focussed on his breathing to re-center himself just before coming to a halt as he glanced over at Huyang before back at the doors.

His hand hovered over the prison doors, trying to see if he could sense anyone in there, but what he sensed was much worse. The whole place was festered with the Dark Side. It was so drowning that he couldn’t sense anyone in itself. “Huyang,” Jeh'Kant said out loud as he moved his hand back down while turning the palm to himself, summoning forth his lightsaber and igniting it. “I have a bad feeling about this.” This sound of the lightsaber lightly hummed and the purple hue illuminated the entire hallway and door.

With his free hand, Jeh’Kant forced open the door as he scoped out the room from the outside. However, that was short-lived as he became distracted by the monk suspended in the air. “Well,” as just like in Jeh’Kant fashion he would crack an obvious joke “We found him. Should we turn back now?” He chuckled to himself, purposely not looking over at Huyang cause he was well aware of the disapproving expression Huyang would have painted across his goggles.​

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[DarthVerus]

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Huyang, the Professor​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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And with that little line there, Jeh’Kant has earned ten points! Just kidding, but Star Wars is so back! Alright let’s not get carried away and get back to business as usual. Huyang certainly shared his sentiment with the young Jedi—there was much to be worried about. They were met by more than a handful of Force-wielding soldiers, yet now there was no one to be seen, heard or found. It was more than certain that they had walked into a trap, and a dangerous trap as such. They had no choice but to see things through, retreating at this point was tactically and strategically pointless. As such, all they could do was to move forward. The door could be opened without as much as security codes or anything of the sort, everything seemed too easy.

”Focus, sir Kai. Be mindful of your-”​

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Huyang lamented like a Jedi of old through his vocal emulators until his optical sensors picked up the sight of their target—a Dai Bendu monk. He was visibly wounded, floating in suspension while his consciousness had clearly been beaten out of him. Huyang dismissed Jeh’Kant’s ”pleas” to leave the monk immediately as he walked closer to the monk, walking to the edge of the force field suspending him as he made an optical analysis of his well-being—alive. That was pretty much what mattered.

”Sir Kai, if you could please focus. Can you see any mainframe anywhere? Do you see any control panel tha—”

Huyang uttered through his vocal emulators as he suddenly found himself interrupted by an abrupt, powerful inhale of the monk. He woke up. He opened his eyes, which appeared to be entirely pale—from pupil to the irides. Yet it appeared as if he saw, so he certainly wasn’t blind. He seemed to lock his sight on Jeh’Kant immediately, not wasting a single moment. The torture and injuries clearly took a toll on the monk as he seemed to struggle to speak, but Huyang didn’t rush or say a word in between. He merely observed, and recorded everything he saw and heard.

”Y-You… I know y-you.”

The monk stuttered painfully as Huyang’s ocular sensors indicated one emotion: confusion. How did the monk know Jeh’Kant, or of him at all? The monk continued speaking, as he viewed Jeh’Kant as if he was the greatest wonder in the galaxy—as if he looked at his own child. The monk struggled with all of his physical might to point his right index finger at Jeh’Kant, as he looked at the young Jedi with awe.

”T-Tanu.. Bendu. Pure… Vessel.”

The monk stuttered as Huyang turned his ocular sensors onto Jeh’Kant, as he was likely just as confused as the architect droid.​

---

Alena Solo, the Grand Admiral of the Corellian Fleet ​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Imperial Negotiations​

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​

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Meanwhile in the Imperial Palace the bluff of the Jedi diplomat went on—but for long how could he maintain it? Alena was certain that the Jedi lied, but she remained silent and watched how the emperor would respond on his own. The aged ruler wasn’t a fool, easily swayed or one to fall for simple tricks. The smirk on his face however had faded, and now expressed concern. Even if the Jedi lied about the weapon, what he said about the Knights of Bogan was fully correct. They weren’t to be trusted.

The emperor then pushed his hands against the armrests of his throne, lifting himself up as he looked at the Jedi with great intent.

”I am not willing to gamble my people against the threat that the Knights of Bogan pose. However… The question lingers, how can you defend us? What will win you this war? What is it that the Jedi and the Coruscanti want in the end? A unified republic? Peace? How?”

The emperor answered with profound seriousness in his tone as he remained standing. In the meanwhile the Corellian delegation seemed to panic, as they began whispering with one another. Except for Alena. She still didn’t respond nor react, she waited for her chance to speak or strike, rather.​

---

 

[Voros Viszla]

Voro Vizsla​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, Dusk, Ambivalence Elevator Guardian; Voros Vizsla​

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As I ambled down the hallway, I was still following the path that led to the prison chamber. Time trickled by, and before long, I spotted two figures hanging out by an open door. It was Jeh’Kant and his droid. Just as I was gearing up to call out to them, I noticed their expressions were glued to something beyond the door, completely captivated.

Instead of stepping out and interrupting, I opted to duck behind one of the pillars lining the hallway, hoping to stay out of sight while still keeping an ear on whatever was going down. I peeked around the edge of the pillar, straining to catch snippets of their conversation.

I caught Jeh’Kant telling the droid that they “found him.” That piqued my curiosity who were they talking about? My mind raced with possibilities. Just then, I heard another voice drifting from the chamber, but it was muffled and hard to make out. Honestly, my gut was twisting. Something about this whole situation felt off, and I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in my stomach.

I decided to hang back a bit longer, just in case things took a turn. If anything went sideways, I wanted to be ready to jump in and lend a hand.​

---

 

[Xev]

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20000 BBY, Koros Major – The Cards Dealt​

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”I am not willing to gamble my people against the threat that the Knights of Bogan pose. However… The question lingers, how can you defend us? What will win you this war? What is it that the Jedi and the Coruscanti want in the end? A unified republic? Peace? How?”

The Emperor’s voice carried through the throne room, cutting through the air like cleaving steel. His once-amused smirk had dissolved into something far heavier—concern laced with calculation. Whatever realism the Jedi had been playing with words and/or half-truths, they had worked well enough to crack the shell of certainty around the ruler -- for now.

Xev watched the aged ruler rise from his throne, a rare moment of vulnerability hidden beneath the veil of authority. The Emperor’s words were not a challenge, but a demand for clarity—a demand Xev had anticipated the moment he set foot inside the chamber.

The faint hiss of Corellian whispers reached his ears, the hurried exchanges of men who felt control slipping between their fingers. But one voice—one presence—remained silent. Alena Solo.

She stood still, poised like a mannequin left at rest, but always within reach. She wasn’t panicked, nor eager to speak. She was studying him. Calculating. Waiting. He knew it from her silence.

Xev didn’t speak immediately. He let the silence between himself and the Emperor stretch just a heartbeat longer—not to stall, but to anchor the room’s attention solely on him.

Finally, his voice broke the silence—quiet, deliberate, like the first whisper of a coming storm.

“What do we want?”
He stepped forward, the soft echo of his boots against marble swallowed by the hush of the chamber. His amber eyes burned brighter beneath the flickering torches, the reflection of the flames dancing within them as though they carried the war itself.

“Peace.”
The word was fragile in the stillness—almost laughable against the backdrop of this endless war. But Xev’s voice didn’t waver.

“Not the peace of conquest. Not the silence that follows annihilation. We seek peace where the people of this galaxy—great or small—choose their fate freely, without the weight of a conqueror’s boot on their neck.”

His gaze never left the Emperor, but in the corner of his vision, he felt Alena’s stillness shift ever so slightly.

“The Corellians,” Xev continued, his voice acknowledging their presence for the first time without malice or accusation, “have fought alongside the Jedi before. There’s no denying the strength they bring to any battle. In this war, they have pressed forward where others faltered, carried the fight to enemy systems, and held the line at Metellos where the fate of Ilum hangs in the balance.”

He let the praise stand, unvarnished, honest.

“But strength alone does not govern.”
He allowed that simple truth to sink into the stone beneath their feet.

“Fleets burn. Armies fall. And when the smoke clears, it will not be strength that decides the future of this galaxy—but the wisdom to know when strength is not enough.”
His gaze shifted, just slightly, toward the admiral. Not a challenge. Not a dismissal. A recognition.

“The Corellian Dominion has every reason to fight—to claim, to expand, to ensure its survival. That is the nature of empires.”
His voice lowered, almost reflective.

“But that is not the Jedi way.”
He took another slow step forward, standing fully within the light, no longer merely a diplomat or emissary—but a man carrying the full weight of the Order on his shoulders.

“We do not fight to replace one empire with another. We do not fight to carve out dominion in our own image.”
His voice sharpened, cutting through the still air.

“We fight so that worlds like Koros can choose their own path. So that you, Your Majesty, stand not as a vassal to anyone—but as the sovereign ruler of your own destiny.”
His hands opened slightly at his sides, not in surrender, but in offering.

“The Corellians fight to secure victory. The Jedi fight to secure freedom. And between those two victories lies the future you must choose.”
He paused, amber eyes flickering with controlled intensity.

“That is what we offer you.”

“A future that does not belong to Corellia, nor to Coruscant. A future that does not belong to the Jedi.”
His voice lowered, but somehow filled the room even more.

“A future that belongs to Koros.”
The silence that followed was not empty. It was heavy, filled with the weight of unspoken truths and the kind of decision that reshapes entire star systems. Xev took a step back, knowing he had laid the board bare. Now, it was no longer a question of who was strongest. It was a question of who the Emperor trusted to leave him standing when the dust settled.

 

[Jeh'Kant Kai]

JEH'KANT KAI​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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---

Just a moment before Jeh’Kant could focus on doing what Huyang needed, the suspended monk snapped toward him in an ominous manner. This was now the second time he had heard that phrase and it felt as if it was being used to describe him if anything. Jeh’Kant glanced over at Huyang, who was already looking at him, just as confused. “We’ll worry about what he’s babbling about later,” Jeh’Kant regained his focus and pointed over Huyang’s shoulder “I believe the mainframe is somewhere over there.”

As he directed Huyang, Jeh’Kant couldn’t help but think about the connection between all of this. First it was the Force Vision which showed a darkness rendering the planetary system void of life then the vision of an army marching behind him as they chanted the same words that the monk had just said out loud. There was more going than he knew about, questions he would surely get the answer to. But, for now, he had to remain focused on the task. This could not become something he’d be distracted by or allow for his guard to become undone. If anything, caution was of the utmost importance now.​

---

 

[DarthVerus]

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Lord Verus, the Eternal​

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​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk—in the darkness, ambition will guide you​

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Note: Click all the links to get the best possible experience!​

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”I can later see if the terminology he used can be found in the Jedi archive data, I-.” Before Huyang could finish his sentence or even look at the direction at which the young Jeh’Kant pointed, his ocular sensors picked up abnormal physical movement by the monk—it looked like he entered a trance, one of unknown sort. He twitched, moved and acted as if he was possessed by some demonic entity. He then started making murmuring sounds, first some that made no sense, but just after a few seconds the noice began to resemble speech. A form of speech not even Huyang could recognize, but he began recording it as soon as it began. The speech sounded much like throat singing, raspy, but deep. It resonated so deeply as if the sound itself was born within the belly of a giant Purrgil.

”Urrwee’khnn aurr’aii sur’aa khai’ii tou’nn soj’aa Tann’u Bend’uu sala’rr khoa’ii jou’nng sojo’nnuu jing’oo unn’uunn.”

The monk sang and once again uttered the two words—Tanu Bendu, albeit in a very different tone and a dialect. As his speech had ended, his trance seemed to end abruptly and his demeanor changed. He seemed to be in panic, as if he did something he shouldn’t have.

”You… Run…”

The monk uttered as if with the last of his strength. He then started to clench his teeth as if in pain, and he appeared like was under massive strain. His veins began to bulge all across his visible skin and his skin in itself turned red. He was boiling, visibly. In a matter of a fleeting blink his own eyes seemed to bleed and the irides of his eyes—previously white—turned crimson, and there were visible signs of internal pressure. Until they violently exploded, splattering blood across the suspended air which floated around like crimson bubbles. Regardless of what Huyang or Jeh’Kant did, the monk was already dead. However, the cause of it was far more frightening than the sight of the monk's demise. A sudden, monstrous laughter could be heard behind the door on the other side of the prison cells—not the hallway from which Jeh’Kant and Huyang entered. The voice seemed inhuman, a blend of two distinct tones that fused into one. It was him. The one true lord of the dark side of the Force who had loomed over the galaxy for over four centuries already. Lord Verus.

Before Huyang or Jeh’Kant could even react, they’d find themselves unable to move even a finger—as if they were pinned in place by an invisible power. That was not of Verus’ doing, but the eight full-fledged Knights of Bogan that followed him into the room—with now all of the worshipers of darkness standing twenty meters apart from both Huyang and the young Jedi. All of his minions used their power to hold the Jedi and the droid in place. They had begun doing so already when the monk ended his speech. Their presence was now revealed, and could be fully felt unlike before. It was a result of dark side magic that one of the knights could perform, allowing him to mask the presence of all the wielders of darkness that were hiding just in the next hallway. Huyang and the Jedi indeed walked into a trap, but they just couldn’t have imagined the magnitude of it.

”Oh how the Force indeed guides everything… I tried my best to make this poor monk talk, but it took you only a mere visit. Intriguing.”

The dark lord spoke through his mask—with the same distorted voice as he had done before. He spoke with calmness and intimidation all at the same time. He stood with an aura of divinity and absolute power about him—and that was what one could sense when he entered the door. If one reached out with the Force to merely feel his presence, one would find that they’d be looking at an endless pit of darkness and terror. Ancient, even more ancient than what he gives out to be.

”Now, I couldn’t quite decipher his speech. And, for some reason, he seemed to recognize you, Jedi. That means I must take you and your droid as prisoners.”

Verus spoke with a calm and even a humoristic demeanor, however there was a dark undertone beneath all of what he said. He stood in place, just waiting for the reactions of both the Jedi and the droid.​

---

Alena Solo, the Grand Admiral of the Corellian Fleet ​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Imperial Negotiations​

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​

---

Meanwhile in the Imperial Palace, things were getting just as awry—even if the Jedi didn’t know of this yet. After Jedi Master Xev delivered his speech, everyone from the emperor to the bodyguard seemed to be rather convinced of what would happen next. But, it truly wasn’t so. However before the emperor could even voice his opinion, Alena Solo raised her voice to be heard and answered to the Jedi’s bluff.

”I would like to say that we all know that this rambling regarding some weapon on Ilum is a bluff, you can see it.” She declared firmly as she proceeded to continue her point. ”And secondly, we don’t fight to win. We wouldn’t restrict Korosi freedom any less than a Coruscanti government, on the other hand we would prevent the whole galactic core from dealing with the corrupted presence of the Hutt Cartel.” She spoke as she took a short beat of breath in between to continue. ”I don’t disagree with the fact that the Jedi likely mean peace. However, the Coruscanti are giving room to corruption and weakness just for the sake of continuing this war. The Hutts are their allies, they fund their war efforts because they’ve run out of their own credit. Is that a dependable government? We would lead with strength, prosperity and free of corrupt entities such as Hutts.” She lamented, as she finally took a break and finished her speech. Their entire entourage, the Corellian diplomats and the fifteen Roonian warriors who acted as bodyguards seemed to be more than convinced.

However, the emperor merely smirked as his eyes shifted between the Jedi and the Corellian admiral. He looked at both of them with ire and intent of removing them—by force.

”I have now heard both of you. We had a diplomatic meeting, as we’d agreed. However, after hearing all of this… I’ve concluded it is best if Koros remains on his own.” He declared as he began walking forward, immensely slowly, step by step as his guards—the infamous Aldanian Death Guard warriors, were quick to surround the Jedi and the Corellians. They’d only have a space of five meters to each direction for all of the encircled enemies, and there would be forty of them. ”We will not be a plaything of Corellians, or the Coruscanti. I don’t really care about the Jedi, or the Knights of Bogan. We will fend off any of such.” the emperor spoke as he took a break to take a short breath before renewing his speech. ”I will not give up the freedom or independence of a people and an empire that my forefathers built with their flesh and blood. You will now die to cleanse your people from the insults we suffered from.” He declared as the Aldanian Death Guard began to tighten the encirclement, moving forward foot by foot but slowly and surely.

The Aldanian Death Guard is a feared elite regiment of the Korosi military that consists of ten thousand people at a time. They are known to be the most skilled and zealous warriors in the galaxy, surpassing even that of the Roonian military. The Korosi empire only recruits inmates and the most violent criminals to join the regiment as a manner to serve their sentences in a prestigious manner. They are trained rigorously for six years on the barren planet of Kirrek, after which they swear their eternal loyalty to the Korosi ruler. They are also well-versed in martial arts that are specifically meant to combat Force powers of wielders such as the Jedi.​

---

 

[Jeh'Kant Kai]

JEH'KANT KAI​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Mission to Save a Monk!​

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---

It is not often one is dealt with a situation at hand that forces an abyss to form in their stomach. Knots begin to overwhelm them then their chest concaves metaphorically rendering it challenging to breathe, followed by a stream of uncontrollable thoughts adding only more anxiety, more fear. This was the situation at hand. As the monk spiraled into a chant, knots began to form in Jeh’Kant’s stomach and by the time he had suggested he should run—not only had breathing become challenging but what he saw before him was shocking to the point where he just couldn’t run.

With the last bit of his strength he muttered his last words before undergoing a gruesome death. His veins began to bulge uncontrollably and Jeh’Kant could almost feel the massive strain the monk felt. His skin became red and he began boiling as crimson oozed out of him before violently imploding. There was blood everywhere and Jeh’Kant could only stand and watch at the suspended bubble of blood. He did nothing. He had frozen. Witnessing death was nothing new, it was more so the environment and method it had occurred in. Before Jeh’Kant could say anything, a disorientated laughter filled the chambers they were in thus bringing life to the idea that this was a trap they had felt in their bones earlier.

Their presence now felt as eight Knights of Bogan held them down against their wishes. However, while they demanded attention, the assumed mastermind of this plan was much more peculiar. Jeh’Kant briefly fought against the power of the Knights of Bogan before deciding against it and listening to the masked creature, who presumably had orchestrated this entire event. Jeh’Kant calmly listened to him speak, no tension in him whatsoever could be detected. His eyes glanced around at the surroundings and the locations of the monks before his eyes settled upon Verus. Jeh’Kant let him speak uninterrupted and when he was done, there was a noticeable silence for a brief moment. Everyone could feel it, it felt unnatural until finally he spoke.

“Well,” Jeh’Kant spoke confidently yet puzzled, “Maybe your communication style didn’t really align with his? You know they have scriptures on best practices nowadays for those types of things. I can share my notes if you want.” He chuckled as he spoke, as if this was all amusing to him. “And, as much as we’d love to see your place,” Jeh’Kant took half a step forward as you could hear the strain it took on his body through his voice fighting off the power of the eight Knights of Bogan. It was a powerful scene, one filled with hope. The pillars that the Knights of Bogan stood began to crack ever so slightly, rendering their structure reliability nearly void. “We’ll have to deny this time.” Jeh’Kant smirked.

Just as he finished his sentence, the pillars would collapse and alongside them the structure they were holding above them. Had the Knights not taken precaution, they’d find themselves buried under an immense amount of rubble. However, this was the least of their worries as Jeh’Kant would influence the force to weigh down completely in the area. Jeh’Kant, Huyang, and Verus would remain unphased by the pillars; they weren’t near it. And with freedom back in his movement, Jeh’Kant would pull Huyang back behind him through the use of the Force. His eyes fixated upon Verus the entire time and his eyebrows furrowed, sensing the endless pit of darkness and terror inside him.

“You’re powerful,” Jeh’Kant said keenly. At the same time, he lifted his arms closer to his body as he reached through his lavender clothing into his hip. Both hands gripping his weapons as he calmly brandished them. Without much movement his right foot stepped forward, inching towards Verus as his left foot remained back, bracing for balance pointed toward the side wall. His arms levitated outwards with a slight bent in his elbow as with a press of the buttons the lightsabers ignited. A hum echoed throughout the corridors as a lavender hue overtook the room as he held his form. “So you don’t need them. Let’s settle this right now.” There was a change in his tone from earlier. This was not the goofy Jeh’Kant everyone was accustomed to. This was the Jeh’Kant who was tired of this war and wanted an ending, one way or another.​

---

 

[Voros Viszla]

Voro Vizsla​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, Dusk, Ambivalence Elevator Guardian; Voros Vizsla​

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This was becoming a tedious affair, yet I found myself entrenched in yet another stakeout. It wasn’t my first rodeo; I had endured several of these seemingly endless missions, where days melted into one another as I silently observed my target. I had never found stealth-based assignments particularly enjoyable, but I had an aptitude for them that was hard to deny. That’s how I had earned my reputation as the assassin in my group. My master, Shunto, spotted my potential early on and relentlessly honed my skills until they were as instinctive as breathing. With my formal training in the Roonian Warriors mixed with my assassin finesse, I had become the crème de la crème, a status I owed to my master and the countless hours I dedicated to relentless training.

From my concealed vantage point, I fixated on Jeh’Kant and the droid accompanying him, but something felt amiss. A peculiar tingle cascaded down the back of my neck, an unfamiliar sensation that sent shivers racing along my spine. My instinct compelled me to reach up and touch the nape of my neck, but the sight unfolding before me held me in a grasp stronger than any fear I felt. Something was shifting in the prison room, and that eerie tingle heightened, urging me to uncover its source.

As moments slipped by like sand through my fingers, I caught snippets of Jeh’Kant’s voice. From my distance, his words were a muddled echo, teasing my curiosity. I had to inch closer. With a cautious step forward, I crept out from behind the cold stone pillar, my heartbeat quickening as I observed Jeh’Kant. His movements appeared strained and uncharacteristic. He was a Jedi, and to see him struggle was unsettling.

I scrutinized the surroundings, searching for anything that could bind him. The room seemed empty, with no chains, and no obvious traps. The realization hit me like a cold wave: someone or something was manipulating him from the shadows. A surge of adrenaline rushed through my veins. If Jeh’Kant was struggling, it meant his captor was powerful, perhaps even formidable.

Enveloped in the shrouded safety of my pillar, a decision loomed over me; should I reveal myself now or hold off longer? The answer came crashing down with a cacophony of cracking sounds from within the room, breaking the eerie silence. My breath hitched, my heart pounding, as a series of loud thuds resonated through the corridor. Moments later, a thin veil of debris and dust spilled into the hallway, creating a hazy smokescreen that teased the edges of the room.

As the smoky tendrils began to clear, I caught sight of Jeh’Kant, his twin lavender lightsabers ignited and glowing fiercely in the dim light, a stark contrast against the muted chaos around him. The sight was mesmerizing, yet it sent a jolt of urgency through me. He was poised for battle, but who was he up against?

With my hand instinctively resting on the grip of my holstered weapon, I stepped out from the shadows, determination igniting within me. I had to get closer, had to understand the threat that lay before us. Every instinct screamed for action as I approached them, ready to step into the fray, where shadows danced and danger lurked.
​

---

 

[Xev]

​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major – The Throne Room of Emperor Koros III: The Breaking Point​

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The tension in the throne room had not merely thickened—it had snapped into something else entirely. The moment Alena's voice cut through the chamber, it was as if the fragile web of diplomacy had been incinerated beneath the weight of irreconcilable differences.


Xev remained still as Alena spoke, his amber gaze locked onto the Emperor’s measured silence even as she delivered her speech. She wasn’t wrong about Coruscant’s weaknesses—the Republic was bleeding, struggling against a war machine that outpaced it in brute force, if not in endurance. But Alena’s mistake was the same as every empire that had tried to define peace through power alone.


She believed the Corellians would bring order, that their strength would prevent corruption. But Xev knew better. Strength, without balance, always became tyranny.


Still, he did not interrupt. He let her words ring, let them settle like iron onto the minds of those watching. Let them see what they were choosing between. Then, the Emperor moved.

A single step. Slow. Deliberate.
And then another.

The murmuring stopped. The air grew thin. Xev knew it before the words were spoken—felt it before the order was given.
The Emperor had never been convinced.

His mind had been made up long before the negotiations began. A chill ran through the chamber as forty of the Aldanian Death Guard emerged from the edges of the room, surrounding both the Jedi and Corellian delegations. The sound of boots meeting marble in perfect synchronization—a death march in slow motion. Xev’s hands remained where they were. He did not reach for his lightsaber. Not yet.


"I have now heard both of you," the Emperor declared. "We had a diplomatic meeting, as we’d agreed. However, after hearing all of this… I’ve concluded it is best if Koros remains on its own.”
The murmurs from the Corellian diplomats turned to alarm.

Xev said nothing. He could feel Alena tensing beside him, her sharp mind already calculating the odds. The Jedi’s were even less favorable than hers—not because of numbers, but because of what these warriors were.
The Aldanian Death Guard.
Not mere soldiers. Killers, forged in blood and cruelty. Murderers, shaped into weapons. Xev had read about them. He had studied their history before stepping into this hall. Trained in six years of brutal conditioning on Kirrek—a world where only the most ruthless survived. Each a criminal of the highest order, given a single path to redemption: serve the Emperor without question, without fear, without humanity. Conditioned specifically to fight and kill Force-wielders.

They had been built for this moment. The Emperor’s voice was final. Inevitable.

“We will not be a plaything of Corellians or the Coruscanti. I don’t care about the Jedi, or the Knights of Bogan. We will fend off any of such.”
The first real spark of hostility flickered through Xev’s chest. Not anger. Not frustration. Regret.

He had known that this war would take those who wanted to remain free and force them into battle. But this? This was the corruption of power in its rawest form. The Emperor believed himself righteous, but there was nothing righteous in sentencing diplomats to death simply because he feared the choices before him.

And Xev knew that fear.

He had seen it before—on fallen worlds, in broken men, in the ruins of civilizations that chose defiance over survival. The Emperor was no fool—but he had made his choice. And Xev had made his.

“I will not give up the freedom or independence of a people and an empire that my forefathers built with their flesh and blood.”

The Death Guard tightened their encirclement, moving with methodical, unshaken precision. Xev’s hand hovered near his saber—but he did not ignite it. Not yet. Not until the last moment. He turned his head slightly, his gaze flickering toward Alena, searching not for trust, but for intent. Because in this moment, the Jedi and Corellians were no longer adversaries. They were survivors. And survivors needed to make a choice. Would they fight together—or would they die apart? Xev did not know what the Admiral would choose.

But he knew he would not die here today. And neither would she—if she was willing to see the truth of this moment.

​

 

[DarthVerus]

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Lord Verus, the Eternal​

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​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk—in the darkness, ambition will guide you​

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Note: Click all the links to get the best possible experience!​

---

Indeed Verus was powerful—but Jeh’Kant had little to no idea just how powerful he was, yet. Verus was far more than a man, he had long since ascended to be something much more. Eternal. But it wasn’t the former Jedi Master Vorian Farr that was truly powerful, but the being within him that made him almighty compared to any Jedi or Knight of Bogan about. Lord or master. But that was a story for another time.

Verus entirely disregarded what happened to his subordinates and he showed little to no care for what Jeh’Kant himself was doing. What would happen next was inevitable, and the young Jedi himself would find what Verus was—inevitable. The same heartbeat when Jeh’Kant finished saying ”Let’s settle this right now”, the young Jedi would find himself as if in an entirely different place than where he was previously, albeit he wasn’t. He’d find himself encased by a seemingly endless wall of darkness, cutting him off from the surrounding environment. To the Jedi, it’d feel like the room he once was in had turned into an endless domain of shadow where only he resided. However, in reality, this wall was only visible to the young Jedi as it only occurred in his mind. But what it caused was far more frightening than a mere shroud of darkness.

If the Jedi now reached out to his surroundings, to the Force, he would find that he couldn’t sense anything—as if his connection to the Force had been fully severed. The young Jedi could now feel as if shackled, helpless, as the Force no longer guided or helped him. Nor did it grant him any of the powers it had before. All of his might in the Force had vanished in thin air. His connection to the universe surrounding him had cut, and there was nothing he could do about it. All he could feel was that the air became increasingly heavier to breathe and colder to bear due to the sheer presence of the dark lord before him, standing fifteen meters before him. The veil of darkness that shrouded the Jedi would now fade in his mind, but his bond to the Force would no longer return. All he would now see was the Eternal, Lord Verus, standing ahead of him with a lightsaber held in his left hand as the hum of their swords echoed through the room.

The dark lord stood still with a still aura of invincibility—the lightsaber he held was pointed forth at the floor at an angle of ninety degrees. But the lightsaber he held certainly wasn’t his own. It was still hanging at his hip, while the one he had ignited once belonged to a Jedi. It was of purple color, not unlike that of Jeh’Kant’s own. And if the young Jedi paid any attention, he’d find that the detail and the parts used in the hilt of the lightsaber were identical to the lightsaber of someone he used to know. Jedi Knight Cevgo, in fact. The right hand arm of the dark lord was also extended to the side at his shoulder level as his palm was pointed towards the roof, as a flame-like glow had encased his hand. It was certainly dark side magic, alchemy even. But what was it used for? It seemed that the time that Jeh’Kant had spent in darkness was so long that Verus had taken his time to prepare, and Huyang behind him was seemingly offline—the droid wasn’t operating.

”Yes, this will end right now young Jedi. And you and Huyang will come with me. Whether you wish so or not.”

The dark lord spoke with a sadistic, almost playful undertone as his monstrous voice echoed through the room. He remained still as he waited on how the Jedi would react. Verus often preferred to toy with his prey, even when he didn’t need to. As pragmatic as he was, he didn’t get to fight Jedi quite often these days. He tried to savor every moment, even if his opponent was drastically wounded—a Jedi without the Force was as much as a wounded lamb prepared for slaughter in his eyes. The Jedi had much food for thought as well—Cevgo’s lightsaber and the fact that he knew Huyang?​

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Alena Solo, the Grand Admiral of the Corellian Fleet ​

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20000 BBY, Koros Major, dusk, the Imperial Negotiations​

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In the meantime in the Imperial Palace, the Korosi emperor had ordered his guards to press on and encircle the diplomats—which was as much as a declaration of war. The old emperor had long become drunk on his power and had secluded himself from both the Corellian and Coruscanti governments just so he didn’t have to give an ounce of his control away. And he still wasn’t ready to give away any, so much so that he threatened to kill his diplomatic guests. Alena wasn’t having it. ”If I get out of this place in one piece, I’ll freaking bomb this city until there’s nothing left!” She thought to herself, but she also knew that in doing so she would betray her own values. In fact, her values weren’t all that different to that of the Jedi. She avoided violence at all costs, and ultimately believed in peace.

That was also something that was visible in all of her naval strategies and tactics—she was well capable of achieving perfect tactical victories without causing many casualties. However, for the first time in a long time, she was out of options when it came to forming a tactic. The Roonians that guarded them weren’t a match for the Aldanian Death Guards. In general, it is believed that an average Roonian warrior was worth three average conscripts of the Coruscanti Ground Troops. However, it is similarly believed that a single Aldanian Death Guard was worth three Roonian warriors—and there were more Aldanian Death Guards present than Roonians, which added to the discrepancy of power in this case. The only person who could possibly alter the course of the next few fleeting moments was the Jedi. Her sworn diplomatic enemy. Her nemesis on the field of battle. Xev Kalmer was her only choice, and she couldn’t do much about it.

”Kill them!”

The emperor shouted as the Aldanian Death Guards unleashed their deadly cortosis wrist-blades, emerging from all of their wrists as they began walking down upon the Corellians and the Jedi. It was at this moment when Alena turned her gaze upon the Jedi Master and gave him a light nod. She gave in and had to put her full trust into someone who was usually her enemy.​

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