We arrived at the Jedi Temple in the middle of the day. Grace carefully maneuvered the corvette into the designated hangar. The same Jedi mentor met us at the ramp. He took the younglings under his wing, briefly mentioning that the Jedi Council was waiting for us. The children said their goodbyes and hurried after their teacher.
The clones and Second Lieutenant O'Connor headed for the upper landing pad. While we were descending from orbit, she had requisitioned a gunship, which was already waiting to take them to the barracks.
"Master, do you think we'll be given a new assignment?" Ahsoka asked, walking beside me.
"Without a doubt. I think we've rested enough."
We moved on at a brisk pace, bowing to the few Jedi we encountered along the way.
"That would be nice," the Togruta said dreamily.
Hmm. She can't wait to try out her new shoto. She deliberately positioned the hilts so they were clearly visible. I, on the other hand, kept my own sabers hidden beneath the folds of my cloak—just in case. Their shape and length, let's say… were not exactly ideal by Jedi standards.
Later, when everything had settled, I could show them openly. For now, only Ahsoka had seen them, and she had been delighted—especially by their color.
After passing through several corridors and taking a turbolift, we arrived at the Jedi Council Tower. Soon, we were granted entry.
"Honorable Council," we greeted those present.
This time, only Yoda, Shaak Ti, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Even Piell occupied their seats. The other Council members were absent, and even their holograms were nowhere to be seen—which was unusual. They normally attended whenever possible.
"Knight Vikt, a new assignment awaits you," Ki-Adi-Mundi said. "You will find the details at the headquarters of the First Sector Army. A request for assistance has been received from Moff Trachta. You and your clone unit are being dispatched."
"Um…"
"Reinforcements and equipment have already been transferred. The wounded are fit for duty. The officers aboard your ship have been informed and are aware of the situation."
"Good," I said, remembering a long-delayed promise. "Honorable Council…"
"We are listening."
"I would like to recommend two Padawans—Kass Tod and Mak Lotor—for the rank of Jedi Knight. They are ready to undertake the Trials."
Yoda, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"Consider your proposal, we will."
"Then… we won't delay."
"May the Force be with you."
***
We headed to the nearest hangar, took an available speeder, and made our way to the Akagi. Blam and Sumeragi were already waiting for us there.
"General, permission to report! The ship is ready for departure! Personnel and equipment have been loaded!" Blam announced.
The first lieutenant followed with a more detailed report.
"Sir. The Legion's roster is exactly as specified: nine thousand two hundred sixteen combat clones, plus auxiliary units, equipment, and support personnel—an additional two thousand three hundred four clones. Stored in the hangars and cargo bays are twelve SPHA self-propelled guns, forty-eight AT-TEs, twenty-four TX-130 repulsorcraft, ninety-six AT-XTs, and the same number of AT-RTs. Three hundred motospeeders. The air wing consists of sixty-four LAATs and thirty-six V-19 fighters."
"Excellent. Snips, wait here. I'll head to headquarters and find out where we're being sent."
"Yes, Master."
***
A young, black-haired human studied the sector map in silence.
"What's happening on Brentaal IV?" he asked sharply.
"The Jedi have retaken the planet, but… the losses are severe. Eleven thousand clones were killed, and six were wounded. In total, we lost a quarter of the forces involved in the operation. One Jedi remains hospitalized. The planet is currently in a state of complete chaos. Restoring order will take time," replied Colonel Suaver from Intelligence.
"That's sucks," Moff Trachta muttered.
"Yes, sir," Admiral Rimora confirmed. "We exhausted the sector's resources to assist them. We emptied our reserves. And now, when we need support ourselves, there are no spare parts available immediately."
Set Trachta leaned back in his chair and tilted his head upward. It helped him think…
Five months earlier, he was appointed to this position—Moff of the First Sector Army—Azure Hammer—and had commanded it ever since. Yes, he believed he had earned the position, though he readily admitted that without Chancellor Palpatine, none of it would have happened.
Trachta had first met the then-Senator Palpatine twelve years ago. Impressed by a lecture Palpatine delivered at Republic University, he had offered his services should they ever be required. Palpatine evidently saw potential in him and later redirected Trachta to the Republic Military Academy, where he became an instructor in tactics and reconnaissance.
When the war broke out, Palpatine personally summoned Trachta to active service, entrusting him with one of the most critical responsibilities: the defense of Coruscant.
Set Trachta was genuinely fascinated by the clone army and the new generation of warships. He clearly saw their strengths and weaknesses and tailored his strategies accordingly. There was only one flaw in the picture.
The Jedi.
No—more precisely, the Jedi generals.
He understood that the Jedi were a rather peculiar military instrument. Yes, in sabotage operations, lightning-fast strikes, and small-scale planetary engagements, they were unrivaled. But they were not prepared for this kind of war—prolonged, brutal, and large-scale. They were not ready for this tempo, this magnitude. And the duration…
The war had already dragged on for five months, with no sign of ending anytime soon. Worse, Palpatine had hinted in private conversation that it would take at least a few years. And the Jedi were accustomed to resolving conflicts within months—often by eliminating leadership, or even through diplomacy alone.
That was the root of the problem.
The Jedi believed they could manage it, but in reality—save for rare exceptions—they were incompetent.
The Jabiim tragedy had proven that beyond doubt.
"Any news from the Tango-North Squadron?" Trachta asked.
"No, sir. Communications are down. The planetary base is not responding."
"And our request for assistance?" the Moff pressed.
"We've just received confirmation," Captain Silt reported. "The Order is assigning us a Jedi and a full legion, complete with equipment and a capital ship. Not rookies. The Jedi in question… he's already waiting in the reception area."
"Send him in," Trachta said, leaning forward.