FORSAKEN IV - Harbinger of Chaos

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"It was the Jedi," said Karabra, aboard the Night Buzzard. "They came for the children, but they were far more capable than we thought. They managed to rescue the younglings regardless of our preparations. They wiped out most of the Knights of Ren."

"You mean, you failed," said Maul via hologram. "That Twi'lek girl could reveal my survival at Centerpoint Station, and therefore, Abeloth's, endangering our plans. This is unacceptable."

"A minor setback, at best," said Abeloth, taking stock of the seven remaining Knights of Ren, kneeling before the Force projection of her true form. "You cling too tightly to the shadows you call home, my son. Secrecy has its uses, but it has no bearing with a group of fugitives. Our plans remain unchanged."

"With the Sith gone, these Jedi are the only real threat to us. By now, they might have learned about the auction in Canto Bight, and you can be sure they're already planning to stop us from acquiring the weapon."

"Which gives us the perfect chance to turn the tables on them, wouldn't you agree?"

"Another trap?" said Karabra.

"One they'll willingly step into."

"There's something else; these Jedi are different. They use the light side of the Force, as well as the dark. I witnessed it myself. It has made them stronger, more aggressive, and unpredictable."

"Impossible," said Maul.

"It isn't," said Abeloth. "Ancient orders like the Dai Bendu and the Je'daii have tried before. You see, in the beginning of the universe, there was only darkness. Entropy was, and still is, the true state of existence. Everything ages, erodes, and dies. Change is the only constant in the cosmos. It began from nothing, and everything will end in oblivion. That is the will of the Force. Order, life, and light are the will of mortals, trying to fight the very nature of reality. That is why the Jedi always fail and the Sith never go away. The latter struggles to subvert the Force to their desires, while the former endeavors to be in tune with it."

"And those who have tried to straddle both sides?" said Karabra.

"They try to reconcile them, foolishly so. For balance is the lie they tell themselves in the face of the truth of chaos. These Outcasts have been partially awakened to this fact, which means they could be made to see the message I bring."

"They would certainly make powerful allies."

"Don't be foolish," said Maul. "These Jedi are our greatest enemies. They should be destroyed the first chance we have."

"I will not cast away any of my children, no matter how mischievous they are," said Abeloth. "Especially, when I will need their guidance in the galaxy we're about to forge."

"How?"

"I thought you were paying attention. Once confronted with the chaos, people will do what they have always done, seek refuge in the illusion of control. And I will be there to provide it for them."

"What if the Senate defeats the bill?" said Karabra.

"My dear daughter, that is precisely what I'm counting on."

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Renowned as one of the finest medcenters in the Empire, the towering Grand Medical Facility on Coruscant treated patients from all corners of the galaxy with leading-edge medical techniques and technology. Yet, the facility hid a dark purpose. The lower levels had served as Darth Sidious' Sith retreat toward the end of the war, prior to becoming emperor and taking over the Jedi Temple as his palace. The Emperor continued to use the top of the spire as a secret sanctuary.